X Marks the Spot
by Genevieve Kelly
Summary: An old enemy from Killian's past surprises him and is discovered to be in Storybrooke. The villain challenges Hook to fight, but when Killian survives the battle between them, Gold steps in and offers the villain a more devious way to harm Killian that can't so easily be healed by the Savior. This story takes place in season six, between episodes Changelings and Wish You Were Here.
1. Chapter 1

X Marks the Spot

Chapter One

 _Killian entered Granny's Diner and immediately walked over to sit down beside Emma who was sitting at the bar as he spoke up saying, "Good news. Regina called. She reversed the spell. That sister is gonna live a long and hopefully far less eventful life."_

 _She watched him move around her and then eagerly asked, "And what about Belle?"_

 _"As good as can be expected after all she's been through," he responded with assurance in his voice._

 _"What she just did... that's why I keep fighting," Emma said again strongly, as she looked into the eyes of the man she loved. "As the Savior. It's a title I've thought about running from numerous times, but I never have, and what she did today reminded me why I don't run, why I fight."_

 _She laid her hand over his arm that wore the hook in place of his hand while she continued, "Because I want to protect my family and my friends and the people that I love."_

 _Killian looked down with worry in his eyes as he stated, "The vision... it's still getting to you."_

 _"Yeah," the Savior replied sternly. "It's time for me to get to it."_

 _"There's the fight that I love," he whispered again and then smiled at her lovingly._

 _Emma responded, "Let's go find out what really happened to me."_

 _A short time later in Gold's shop…_

 _When she and Hook walked inside, they saw the mess that Gold had left behind before he disappeared and Emma spoke again saying, "Whoa. Oh, well, someone had a temper tantrum."_

 _"Do you really think you'll find something in here to explain your vision?" he asked skeptically._

 _"I think I just did," she answered in surprise upon seeing the hilt of a sword sticking out from beneath the mess surrounding them and then she knelt down beside it in order to get a better look, then saw the red stone within the tip of its silver handle. "This is it. This is the sword from my vision. It's here."_

 _As she reached out to touch the blade, she was suddenly overwhelmed by another vision that revealed even more than all the ones before and Killian immediately knelt down beside her as he fearfully cried out, "Emma, are you okay?"_

 _Emma grabbed a tight hold of the sword and lifted it up as she replied, "Yeah. I think it's safe to say this is what did it."_

 _"This is the sword that killed you," he stated, looking across the blade as she did._

 _"Will kill me," she quickly corrected._

 _Hook looked around them as he asked again, "And why would it be in here?"_

 _The Savior stared at the weapon while she responded, "I don't know. But now that we have it, maybe we can finally find who's responsible."_

 _"The figure under the hood," he answered crossly._

 _"Yeah," Emma replied firmly as they both stood back on their feet. "And then we can stop them."_

The morning after they discovered the mysterious sword from Emma's visions inside Gold's shop, the Savior walked alongside Killian hand in hand down on the docks towards the Jolly Roger while Henry walked on ahead of them, giving his mom and close friend a few minutes alone to talk quietly among themselves. Henry kept glancing back at them and could tell that Killian was concerned about leaving for a few hours, especially while Emma remained behind to talk with her parents and Regina about finding the sword that killed her.

Emma pulled up Killian's hand to her mouth and tenderly kissed the top of it as if to ease a little of his concern, then she looked into his eyes while she said gently, "I really appreciate you taking Henry out."

He smiled for only a second before letting it fade, then he responded worryingly, "Of course, love. You know I am always more than happy to take the lad out. It's just that I hate to leave you after your latest visions have affected you so. And between the Evil Queen and the Crocodile…"

"I know right now seems like the wrong time to go out on your ship with all that's going on, but I promise you that I'm alright," she continued before he could finish. "I'm more worried about Henry right now. Worried about how he's dealing with everything. He says he's fine and he's acting brave for me. But I know that he's struggling, just like you are. You both could use some time away and my son is safe with you."

"I'm glad that you can believe so," Killian whispered, though she could tell that he wasn't so sure he believed it as she did. "I promise you that no harm will come to the boy so long as he's in my charge, Swan. But are you certain you don't want to change your mind and come with us?"

Emma leaned in closer and kissed him, then she answered, "You know I would love to more than anything. But I really need to talk things over with Mom, Dad, and Regina. Even Gold, since we did find the sword in his shop. And because of the curse on my parents, I'll have to share what's happened more than once. You already know everything. You were there with me last night. I just thought that you don't really need to hear it all again. And Henry…"

He interrupted, "The lad knows a lot more than you would like him too. He's smart and tough, just like his mother. Both of them of course, but mostly you."

"Hmmm… it's good of you to see it," she replied and then leaned over to kiss him again as Henry walked back over to them and cleared his throat to get their attention.

"I'm sorry, but I just got a text from Mom," the sixteen year old stated as he held it out for them to read. "She's waiting for you at the diner, Mom. With Grandma, Belle, and August too. Belle must need something to help take her mind off of losing Gideon. And August… well maybe he just happened to be there for breakfast. I'm sure he'll be happy to help with whatever it is you're trying to keep from me."

Emma look at her son apologetically as she responded, "It's not that I'm trying to hide anything from you, Henry. I just thought you might like to have a day out on the water with Killian. He needed a little distraction from all the stress around here. I was hoping you could help him to lighten up a little so he would stop all of his brooding."

Killian laughed, while Henry smiled and answered, "Nice try. But it's okay. Killian can tell me what's going on while we're out on his ship. It's going to be fun. Try not to worry about us."

"I'm not worried," she replied as she looked between the two loves of her life, patted the teenager's arm and caressed Killian's cheek before walking back towards the center of town. "I love you, boys."

"I love you too, Swan," Killian called out to her, keeping his eyes on the Savior until she disappeared from view, while Henry ran up the gangplank to board the Jolly Roger. "It's time to set sail, lad. You know what to do. Let's start with the rigging."


	2. Chapter 2

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Two

Killian steered the Jolly Roger out of the harbor until they were far enough out at sea to where they could just see Storybrooke behind them in the distance. Once they made it past the bar and into the middle of the ocean, the ship's Captain stepped away from the wheel, then walked down onto the deck where Henry was leaning over one of the sides, silently looking out at the waves surrounding them.

"I know you're worried about your mother, as am I of course," Killian said gently after he moved to stand beside the young man. "But she's not going to allow this… figure under the hood defeat her. And I will fight against this villain with all the strength in my body to keep her safe. I hope you know that."

"I do know that," Henry replied as he turned his head to look over at his friend and the man who loved his mother. "But I don't want to see you, or anyone else here get hurt or killed trying to protect her either. I've already seen too many people I care about die like you did, like Robin, and others like my other mom and Belle suffer as they have for fighting against those trying to hurt us. The Evil Queen is still loose, my grandfather is the darkest of Dark Ones after he betrayed us again, and at any time now some new villain will arrive and try to kill Mom because she's destined to die. What did we ever do to deserve the life of constantly having to fight against all this evil completely unknown by the outside world?"

Hook sighed as he turned away for a moment to think, then he responded, "I ask myself the same question. I was a villain and long ago I accepted that my life would continuously be a dark one, until I met your mother and all that changed. Emma has given me hope and has guided me through the darkness that was in me for centuries. I am doing my very best to be that hope and guide for her and for you as well. Just as you've been for all of us. What I'm trying to say, is that we are all here to lift everyone up when our lives are bleak. None of you deserve this kind of life, but I do believe that you are all strong enough to beat the evils that threaten to destroy us when those out in the world are not."

Henry glance over at the Captain as he answered, "That was surprisingly deep. Not that you don't know how to be, but…"

"It was surprisingly deep," a strange voice spoke out from behind them as Hook swiftly pulled his cutlass from its scabbard hanging at his side to face off against the stranger upon seeing him with an old pistol raised and aimed directly at Henry. "For a man who claimed himself to still be the ruthless pirate I once knew that is. Captain Hook has indeed gone soft."

"Black Beard?" Killian stated in surprise upon seeing one of his past enemies standing before him again, only no longer looking like the villainous pirate of old. "You look…"

The other Captain laughed haughtily and clicked back the weapon's hammer, then he replied, "Different than you expected, Hook? Indeed. I couldn't very well remain unnoticed wearing my usual attire."

Hook glared at him as he retorted, "You mean that hideous wig and extravagant red coat that did nothing for you, except make you look like the louse that you really are? Just because you look like a normal human being with short hair and a neatly trimmed beard and mustache, it doesn't mean you belong here."

"You're not the only one who has changed his appearance in order to blend in," Black Beard continued coldly. "But unlike you, I haven't become a completely different man. I'm still the dreaded pirate we both were once. And you're weak, just as I always knew you were."

"How the bloody hell did you arrive here in Storybrooke, and on my ship?" Killian asked angrily.

The pirate holding the gun smiled as he responded, "That's a long story. Actually, I've been here for some time now. Ever since Hyde brought a number of us over in that flying contraption of his from that realm you lot here call the Land of Untold Stories. A lot's happened since our last encounter when you traded the Jolly Roger to me for a magic bean. And now I know it was all for some wench and this child here. My ship was stolen from me. It was seized and enchanted to become entombed within a glass bottle by an ice witch that ruled another kingdom as punishment for trying to kill her magicless sister and some oaf. She imprisoned me for months until I was finally exiled, but I escaped from the soldiers escorting me out of the Queen's kingdom and discovered a portal into an unknown world. I had no choice except to step through. I would have been killed. I had no idea what I was walking into, or that I would ever wind up here… once again in the same land as my enemy, who's in possession of what rightfully belongs to me. I've been given another chance to steal your life away."

Killian quickly looked at Henry with worry and slowly stepped forward to stand between him and Black Beard to protect Emma's son, then he asked curtly, "If you've been in Storybrooke all this time, why wait until now to attack? Surely you've had plenty of opportunities to kill me."

"It's not often you're alone and when I watched you prepare to take the lad here out on the Jolly Roger, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do to you as you tried to do to me in front of my men," Black Beard answered cruelly, then lowered his gun and drew his own sword as he raised it up to call Hook to a duel. "Fight me. Or refuse and I will shoot you, then kill the boy you're trying to protect for good measure. The wench you love so dearly will lose both her lover and her son."

"Henry, whatever happens…" Killian whispered tensely, turning to the sixteen year old as he grabbed him by his neck and chin to force Henry to look at him. "I need you to promise me that you won't try to interfere."

Henry shook his head as he objected, "No. I can't just let you fight him because you're protecting me from getting hurt. I hate it when all of you do that. I'm not a child any longer. I don't need…"

All of a sudden, Killian shouted angrily, "Now's not the time to argue with me! I… I'm sorry, Henry. I didn't mean… I know that you're not a child. And I know that you're plenty capable of protecting yourself. But it's like I told you. I will protect you because it's my job to and I promised Emma I would. Don't worry, I've fought Black Beard before and I have always beaten him. Just please stay back when it begins. I would never forgive myself if you were hurt because of someone from my past with a grievance against me."

"Fine," he said worryingly. "Just… Be careful."

"Are you ready, Hook?" Black Beard asked again as he raised his sword higher, while Killian turned to face his enemy, his own blade raised, and the duel between the two pirate Captains finally began.

Henry watched his friend and the villain cross swords for a few minutes, then pulled his phone from his pocket and texted his mom to ask for her help as quickly as he could, hoping she would arrive to stop this fight before Killian could be hurt in case Black Beard chooses to play dirty.

He only met the other pirate once when they all had become trapped within Isaac's alternate reality and the man was easily taken out by a teenager because that version of Black Beard was cocky and smug, just as he is now. But while he trusted the real Hook could defeat this nemesis, the teenager knew this man wasn't past cheating. He also saw that there more than cockiness in him now. His eyes showed Henry that the villain was at the end of his rope and desperate to see Killian dead.


	3. Chapter 3

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Three

After she left her son and the man she loved at the docks beside Killian's ship while they prepared to set sail, Emma walked slowly to Granny's and when she entered inside, Snow immediately jumped up from where she was sitting and pulled her daughter into a quick hug as she spoke up saying, "Emma, I'm so glad you're here. You sounded very worried on the phone earlier when you told me you needed to talk to us about something. Is something wrong? Are you okay? Is Henry, or Hook?"

Emma sat down in their booth across from Regina and Belle and took her baby brother into her arms to hold him while August grabbed a single chair from another table to sit down with the rest of the women, then the Savior answered, "I'm fine. We all are. I asked Killian to take Henry out on the Jolly Roger today while we talked. But uh… well Killian and me, we found something important while we were searching Gold's shop last night for some answers that might help to explain my visions."

"You two searched Gold's office last night and he didn't catch you?" Regina asked with disbelief. "You were lucky."

"It looks like he stepped out to get himself from fresh air," the blonde woman replied with a chortle. "His shop was a mess. Gold trashed the place and I'm guessing that he would have needed to go out to calm himself down. I'm sorry, Belle."

The beauty shook her head and responded quietly, "It's all right. I was a wreck last night too. Only I didn't make a mess of anything other than the sheets and the bed I gave birth on."

Snow reached across the table to place her hand over Belle's while Emma looked at her with remorse and sincerely asked, "How are you doing this morning? You're looking well, all things considered."

"I'm fine," she answered strongly as she lifted her chin. "All things considered. Blue helped to heal me faster than I would have normally healed after going through such a rough birth. I'm just hoping that Gideon's alright. Blue too."

"Of course," Snow replied with assurance while she patted her hand. "I'm sure they're just fine. Blue's a powerful woman. She will protect your son with her life."

Belle nodded and then turned back to Emma as she stated, "You were saying… about what you and Killian found in Rumple's shop?"

The Savior cleared her throat as if to refocus and responded, "Yes. Well… in all of my visions, all I've seen is the figure under the hood stabbing me with some kind of sword after we fight. They haven't really changed all that much, except for some being a little longer than others. Still, the details have been very limited. But Killian and I saw a sword buried in the rubble of Gold's mess with its hilt sticking out. When I reached out to touch it, another vision suddenly came to me and this time I saw the hilt of the sword this villain uses to kill me with, a red jewel buried deep within its center."

"It was the same sword we found," she added as she swiftly materialized the blade into her hand to show it to everyone surrounding her.

"This is the exact sword that this unknown villain uses to try to kill you?" August asked worryingly as he reached out to touch it, to examine its jewel in the head.

Emma glanced at him sadly and with frustration he answered, "He doesn't just try to kill me, August. He succeeds. I know it because I felt it. But I'm doing everything in my power to try to stop it from happening, which is why Killian and I went looking for some answers in Gold's shop. It's a good thing we did. At least now we have the upper hand and so long as we keep this sword, there may be a chance that we've changed what happens to me. Belle, do you recognize the sword? Do you know anything about it?"

The red haired woman looked at the blade carefully as she replied, "I've never seen it before. But there's lots in Rumple's shop that I haven't seen, that he probably kept hidden from me. It's most likely that the only reason why you were able to find this weapon was because he had his tantrum and was careless with his possessions when throwing and breaking everything in sight. I take it that's what you meant by mess when you walked in?"

"You've got that right," the Savior responded. "Regina, do you know anything about it at all?"

"I'm afraid that I've never seen it before either," the former Evil Queen answered when she took it away from August and examined it herself. "It's well crafted and I can feel a power within it, though I'm not sure what kind of power. I can't exactly sense it like I can other enchantments. Perhaps if I take the sword for some tests, I could…"

Emma swiftly interrupted, "No. I mean… I think I would prefer to just keep it with me, in a safe place where no one else will know where it is. It's not that I believe you're the figure under the hood, Regina. Because I don't. I just would rather keep it close for now."

Regina nodded in understanding as she replied, "Perhaps that's best for now until your visions reveal more, if they ever do."

"Why don't we go and talk to Gold himself?" August said again as Emma made the jeweled sword vanish with her magic. "If anyone's going to have answers, surely he would since the sword was found in his possession. He probably stole it from whoever it really belongs to."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Belle responded sadly. "I would normally go with you, to try to reason with Rumple, but he and I aren't exactly speaking. Not after what he did to me and my son. I can't face him right now."

Snow quickly answered, "Of course not. We wouldn't ask that of you. But perhaps it'll be best that I wake up David so he can go with you to speak with Gold, Emma. He was always better with interrogations. He is one of this town's sheriffs after all, not me. I think he'd prefer to be with you when you go back there, especially after yesterday. Gold won't be so keen on talking with you."

A short time later in Gold's pawn shop…

Gold was busy trying to clean up his mess when Emma, David, Regina, and August all walked through the door and without turning to face them, he called out curtly, "If any of you are here to apologize to me for distracting me with squid ink, or to offer up your condolences after losing my child, just forget it. I don't want your false apologies, or your pity."

"I am sorry, but we didn't actually come here for either," Emma sternly replied, then magiced the sword from her vision into her hand once more to show it to the Dark One. "I need to know what you know about this."

"After everything, you have the audacity to steal from me as well?" the shopkeeper questioned angrily when he finally looked at the heroes and stared down at the sword within the Savior's hands.

David moved to stand beside his daughter while he responded, "You have no right to call us thieves when your shop is filled with possessions that don't belong to you."

Rumpelstiltskin glared at the Prince as he answered, "Yes… well if no one comes to claim the items that belong to them, then I can't possibly have a way of knowing what of these possessions belong to whom. Can I? Where did you find that sword?"

"Right here, buried underneath the rubble of the mess you made last night in some fit of anger," the Savior replied in frustration, then sent the blade back to where she could keep it well protected from anyone who may try to steal it. "Do you know what it is or where it came from?"

"Why the interest?" the Dark One questioned again, turning his eyes on Emma. "I'm almost certain that I have nothing belonging to you here, dearie."

Emma looked over at her father as if for guidance, then glanced to both her closest friend and to Regina, and when each of them nodded to show her their support, she turned back to Gold as she continued, "The sword is the same blade which the dark figure from my visions uses to kill me with. I was hoping you might know where it might come from."

Rumple sneered and then responded, "You barged in here yesterday, bringing that pirate of yours with you and allowed him to mock me about having been the kind of father I was to my first born son. And you're both responsible for my second son being taken away from me. If you want answers about that sword, you're going to have to look elsewhere. Now get out of my shop and don't come back any time soon. Or the next time you won't be leaving here by your own willpower."

"Oh my God…" Emma suddenly whispered fearfully just as David stepped forward to talk to Gold again until he turned back to his daughter and saw her reading a message that just came through on her phone, then rush towards the door to leave.

"Emma, what's wrong?" he called out to her before she could leave.

The Savior looked back at her father and friends as she spoke again saying, "It's a message from Henry. Black Beard stowed away on the Jolly Roger before the ship left the harbor. Killian's in trouble."

She swiftly vanished in a silver cloud of smoke leaving the others behind, then Regina placed her hands on David's and August's shoulders as she stated, "Don't worry, I'll get us there too. How the hell did Black Beard get here to Storybrooke?"


	4. Chapter 4

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Four

The battle between the two infamous pirates continued as their swords clashed and Henry kept backing away anytime they moved in his direction in order to keep himself out of harm's way as he promised Killian he would. Black Beard was a skilled swordsman, nearly just as good as Hook was even with only one hand. Two centuries gave his friend ample time to learn how to use his infirmity well to his advantage, for which the sixteen year old boy was grateful. The hook he wore was far more than a replacement for his hand, but a powerful weapon of its own right.

Killian defended himself against his enemy well, doing so more than charging against Captain Black Beard in effort to keep himself from falling back into the darkness that consumed him for so long. It was difficult to keep his anger for the villain at bay, but he fought all that much harder since Emma's son was there watching him.

Finally after nearly ten minutes of dueling, Hook managed to force Black Beard back against one of the sides of his ship and raised his blade to the man's throat, just as he had done before during their last duel a few years ago. Henry smiled upon seeing his friend overpower the other pirate Captain, unlike having to watch as Killian once cowered before him while they were all within the former Author's book reality. Not that Henry doubted Killian couldn't defeat Black Beard now. He was just afraid of what the cruel man was capable of doing since he didn't believe in good form as Hook did, even back when he was the villain.

"You've lost again," Killian said coldly as he glared at his enemy before him, his sword still at his throat. "And this time I didn't have to trick you into falling through a loose plank onboard my ship. Just because I'm not the villain I once was, doesn't mean that I've lost my skills with my sword. As for the Jolly Roger, you lost it when you used it to try to murder a couple of royals and our friends. I didn't seek her out to steal her away from you after we made our bargain, but she's here because she was needed. This ship is once again in the hands of her rightful owner."

"Why?" Black Beard retorted. "Because it once belonged to your dead brother?"

Hook angrily backhanded the villain using his hook when he mentioned Liam and was about to strike him again until he remembered to fight against his anger while he struggled to get it back under control, then he tightened his grip on Black Beard as he responded, "The last few men who mocked my brother are long dead and at least one of them is burning in hell for eternity."

Black Beard chortled and then asked, "So what comes of me now, Hook? You should kill me too like the rest of your enemies. Show this boy here that you will never truly be the so called hero you foolishly believe yourself to be."

"You're wrong," Henry objected strongly. "Killian is a hero. Not just to all of us here in Storybrooke, but countless others. If he wasn't, you'd be dead right now. That's the best difference between you and him."

"If you don't kill me, I will escape that brig these townsfolk call the sheriff's station and I will continue to come after you and all those you love," the other pirate cruelly replied while he looked into his nemesis' eyes and saw the fear Killian was trying to hide. "Perhaps I'll start with the Savior's whelp you're trying so hard to protect."

Killian spoke again brusquely saying, "You're not ever going to get near him again."

Black Beard smiled as he answered, "Wait and see. Do you really care to wager on that conviction of yours?"

"Killian!" Emma fearfully shouted after she unexpectedly appeared behind Killian and her son, as they turned upon hearing her cry out until Black Beard used the Savior's distraction against Hook when he pulled his gun from his belt without anyone noticing him doing so, while cocking back its hammer again and then he suddenly fired, the shot striking Killian in his upper chest forcing him to fall hard against the deck. "No!"

"Stay down!" David called out to the villain when he and the others appeared moments later, just as Emma swiftly blasted Black Beard backwards with her magic, then immediately rushed to Killian as Henry did. "I suggest you don't try to move."

Black Beard laughed haughtily as he finally relented, then knelt down on the deck despite the pain he felt in his own chest from the force of the magic that struck him down and allowed the sheriff to put the handcuffs on him, staring at Hook and the woman who loved him while he stated, "I don't plan to resist, Your Majesty. I finally succeeded in killing my oldest enemy. If I live the rest of my life in some prison, it will be worth it."

Everyone turned back to Emma worryingly once the villain was no longer a threat while the Savior struggled to regain control over the shaking in her hands when her fear began to overwhelm her so that she could heal the wound in Killian's chest, as the man she loved struggled to keep breathing and his eyes on hers. She cried openly while she held him tight against her body and Regina knelt down beside her friend, then used her own magic to pull the ball from Killian's chest before placing her own hand over Emma's to help her find the strength she needed to save him.

Finally Emma's hand began to glow bright and when Killian began to breathe with more ease after the wound was slowly healed, Emma let out a sob, then she continued to hold him tightly, as he did her. Henry placed a soothing hand on the small of her back and another on Killian's leg in an effort to comfort them.

David, August, and Regina all sighed in relief, then Emma's closest friend turned to the other pirate as he retorted, "You failed again."

"I don't believe I've found myself once again within the same realm Hook is hiding out in for nothing, boy," Black Beard responded smugly. "I don't plan to give up. So I suggest you watch his back."

"We plan to," David replied, then turned to Regina. "Do you think you can transport Black Beard to the station? I want to make sure they're going to be alright."

The former Evil Queen smiled as she grabbed the back of their prisoner's neck and answered, "That'll be no problem at all. You're going to like your new cell, Captain. It's spacious. And then you're going to get your own holding cell within the asylum beneath our hospital, where some of the worst villains will be imprisoned for the rest of their lives. You'll fit right in."

When they vanished, Henry moved to stand beside his grandfather as they kept their eyes on Emma and Hook, then Killian finally pulled away as he looked into her eyes again and whispered, "I'm alright, Swan."

"But you almost weren't… again," the Savior responded curtly. "He almost killed you and it was my fault."

"You're wrong," he replied, taking her hand in his own as he gently messaged her palm to try to reassure her so. "Black Beard was the one who pulled that trigger. He became my enemy long ago because he was a rival and I knew I could use his arrogance to my advantage, by continuously making him appear an incompetent Captain in front of his crews whenever our paths crossed. I stole away many of his men for my own crews. But the worst is that I tried to have him killed a number of times, the first time simply because he and a few men stole a chest of the King's gold from me. Black Beard is a vile human being, but he wasn't my enemy until I made him so. And now all of yours as well."

David shook his head in disagreement and answered, "Just because we've never given him reason to hate us like he hates you, doesn't mean that our paths wouldn't have crossed eventually had we all remained within the Enchanted Forest. This isn't your fault either."

Henry quickly added, "And Black Beard isn't the kind of villain who needs much of a reason to kill someone. Honestly, I was lucky that I was able to knock him unconscious when we met."

"When did you meet Black Beard before this morning?" Emma asked her son while David and August both helped her and Killian up off the floor of the ship.

"In Isaac's book," the sixteen year old responded as he looked over at Killian. "Hook was the Captain's deckhand and he treated him like a slave. Because Gold made Killian a coward, I had to defend him against Black Beard so we could take back the Jolly Roger and sail off to the tower to save you, Mom."

Killian smiled sadly as he continued, "The lad helped me by cutting through one of the riggings, causing a winch to swing down and render Black Beard unconscious. I was truly impressed. Yet terrified of the repercussions once he awoke to find his ship stolen, much like I fear what he might do now should he find a way to make good on his threat. I doubt I'm the only one in danger."

Emma leaned forward to kiss him and wrapped her arms around him, then replied, "He isn't going to hurt any of us again."

"Are you sure you're okay?" August asked Hook when he suddenly stumbled.

"I'm well, I assure you," Killian answered as he and Emma steadied him until he pulled away to head towards his ship's wheel so they could head back. "Just a little shaken is all. Let's go home."


	5. Chapter 5

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Five

 _During the forgotten year, within the Enchanted Forest…_

 _His back was pressed firmly against one of the Jolly Roger's sides and his leg caught within one of the ship's floorboards, while his enemy held his sword to his throat as Black Beard glared up at the other pirate Captain and shouted angrily, "Finish it!"_

 _Hook prepared to follow through while he raised his blade, then he replied, "Fancy a shave, do we? Well, I'll be happy to oblige."_

 _"Wait!" the red headed Princess pleadingly cried out, causing the darkly dressed pirate to pause. "Eric's not on board. You have to get him to tell you where he is."_

 _"You heard the lady," Captain Hook coldly answered as they both looked over at Ariel and then turned back to one another. "Where is he?"_

 _Black Beard smiled while he kept his eyes on his nemesis and stated smugly, "So, that's what this was... A rescue mission for some wench? Ha! They were right about you, Hook. You have gone soft."_

 _Killian glared down at him as he responded, "I can either make this painful... Or quite painful. Now answer!"_

 _"I have him stashed safe and sound on a deserted island," the fancier dressed pirate Captain replied as he looked between Hook and the woman pleading for his and his enemy's help. "Only I know where. I was planning to ransom him when the time was right."_

 _"Whatever it is, I'll pay it," Ariel swiftly answered, not caring what it was he wanted._

 _He turned back to look up at Hook and responded, "Money's not what I'm after anymore."_

 _She looked at him in confusion as she asked, "Then what is it that you want?"_

 _"The satisfaction of proving Captain Hook is no longer a pirate," Captain Black Beard haughtily replied._

 _"How are you gonna prove that?" Hook asked arrogantly, unaware by just how much his coming decision would cause him trouble._

 _Black Beard knocked the blade away from his throat and then he smiled as he answered smugly, "By giving you a choice. Surrender the Jolly Roger to me, and I'll tell you where I'm holding her prince. Or refuse, and he dies along with me."_

Present day…

Black Beard sat within a jail cell inside the sheriff's station for a while before he was pulled from his thoughts of one of his last encounters with his nemesis as a smarmy looking man with short gray hair, wearing a fancy black suit, and who wielded a cane entered the room after Regina left him alone, while the visitor spoke up saying, "Captain Black Beard. I'll admit, I'm more pleased you've arrived here in Storybrooke then I ever thought I could be."

"You have me at a disadvantage, Sir…" the pirate responded smugly, turning away while he kept his eyes trained on the bars between the two cells before him. "You certainly know who I am, despite my… less than desirable alteration to my image. I've seen you around, yet I don't believe I know you. Why would a man such as yourself care to come see me within a brig as dastardly as this one?"

"Around here, people call me Mr. Gold," he replied, then raised his hand and swiftly transformed himself from that of his non-magical appearance and back into the true form that everyone from within all other realms know him as. "Surely you recognize me now, don't you? I believe we've met on more than one occasion in our pasts."

The pirate sat up and stared at Rumple with surprise as he answered, "Dark One… here in this…"

Gold finished for him as he said, "Fairytale Hell? Home of magic and non-magic creatures alike? Bizarre and disgustingly picturesque corner of a non-magical world? Yes, I am undeniably the Dark One and I'm trapped here, just as you are now. Live here long enough, you will likely come to be a changed man much like the enemy you're stuck in this cell for after trying to kill him. Luckily for me, I'm not one of those fortunate souls saved by the Savior. And if you wish to remain as lucky as me, I suggest you accept my help."

"I don't understand," Black Beard responded in disbelief. "Why would you want to help me?"

"Because we both want the same thing," the Dark One replied smugly. "We both want to see Captain Hook pay for his many offenses against us. Myself even more so than you. Going after someone he cares about to make him weak is a good way to get your revenge. But as you failed when you attacked his lover's son and was easily bested when the boy's powerful mother struck you down with her magic, it means that you underestimated him and those who care about him. You became hasty and attacked without thinking. You failed to kill him because you wounded Hook in a way the Savior can heal him. Worry not, I have something even better for him in mind. Something, a little more subtle than an outright attack."

The Captain stood on his feet while he glared at the other villain before him and stated coldly, "I'll admit I failed because I became cocky and challenged him to a duel. I should have shot him then and there when I had the chance. I saw the look on his face when I threatened the boy. I knew Hook would give his life to protect him. Since I've arrived, I've seen how he feels about all these heroes. I just didn't expect this world's proclaimed Savior to arrive in time to save him. I never thought Hook was capable of love. Nor did I expect for this woman to actually love him back. Whatever does she see in him?"

Rumpelstiltskin answered, "That is the million dollar question now."

"Why is it you want my nemesis dead?" Black Beard continued. "And if your hate for Hook is as strong as you say, then how is it that the almighty Dark One has failed to kill him yourself?"

"Things here in Storybrooke are a bit more complicated than they are back within the Enchanted Forest," he responded with frustration. "But believe me, it hasn't been for the lack of trying."

The pirate replied, "You didn't explain why you want to see him dead so badly. Hook and I go back a long way. How exactly did he offend you?"

Gold flicked his wrist and the cell door opened widely, then he answered, "You haven't known that one handed pirate for nearly as long as I have. And my hate for him is worth more than your petty desire to steal back a ship."

"My hate for Captain Hook is more than a simple desire for what rightfully belongs to me," Black Beard spoke again angrily. "He traded the Jolly Roger for a magic bean, which I gave him without question because I believed the ship was what he valued more than anything else and that it would destroy him to lose it to me. After it was taken from me again, I set out to find the Jolly Roger and imagine my surprise when I discovered it was once more in possession of my enemy. Hook has stolen my crew from me more than once, humiliating me in front of them and on one of our last encounters he nearly killed me. Had it not been for some mermaid he betrayed, I would have been food for sharks after he shoved me off the ship's plank. Captain Hook is weak. But he mocks me and all that a true pirate stands for. I hate him."

"You're right about one thing," the Dark One responded. "He is weak. Hook is only alive now because he is protected by this town's heroes. I would like nothing more than to see him obliterated once and for all. Come with me. I can give you something that will cause trouble for Hook. Trust me, you'll like what I have in mind."

The pirate looked for any sign of deception as he cautiously left the cell, then asked skeptically, "If I agree, what is it you want in return? I know about the kinds of deals the Dark One grants to anyone willing. I came here with nothing, but the clothes on my back. Not these ones of course, but…"

Gold smiled, then he stated, "Don't worry, dearie. My price is something you will not hesitate to give up when I give to you your enemy's demise. But we can talk about that price later. There's much to do."


	6. Chapter 6

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Six

"So, what will happen if one of this town's sheriffs or the Evil Queen returns and finds that I'm no longer in my cell?" Black Beard questioned, as they both suddenly appeared inside the pawnshop after Rumpelstiltskin used his powers to transport them there in order to avoid being seen. "I doubt that you want anyone knowing of your involvement in my escape."

"Oh… I wasn't helping you to escape," the Dark One answered smugly, then flicked his wrist once more as a burst of magic swiftly burst out all around them. "As soon as our business is complete here, I'll be sending you right back there. But don't worry, you'll get exactly what it is I promised you. As for these heroes finding out you're missing right now, it won't be possible. I just froze them and time all around us. And when my spell is lifted, they'll all be none the wiser."

Black Beard seemed impressed and began to examine the personal effects surrounding them as he asked again, "So exactly what is it that Hook has done to offend you that would make you so willing to help me? You still haven't answered me. You have me captivated."

Gold paused a moment while he stared down at the display case he was now standing behind in frustration, then he responded, "Hook has done many things for which he deserves far more than I have ever been able to do to him. However in this case, that damn pirate provoked me as a distraction for the Savior by insulting my inability to be a father to both of my sons. I warned him that I wouldn't forget it."

"And now he's about to remember just how steep the price is for crossing me," he added coldly as he bent down to pull something out from within the case, then set the large possession out on the counter for the pirate to see.

"What is that?" Black Beard started to question as he leaned down to examine the entity soaking in some kind of clear fluids within the large glass jar before him.

Gold interrupted, "That dearie, is Captain Hook's hand, which I cut off and stole from him long ago. I've cursed it once before when he came to me to have it magically reattached merely because he felt unwhole. I knew I could use his request against him and I did. I was eventually thwarted, but not before having some fun with our enemy first."

The other villain stood and looked at Rumpelstiltskin with confusion as he asked, "Is what you did to Hook then, what you plan to do again?"

"No," the Dark One replied smugly. "He won't fall for that trick again. But I cannot accomplish what I do have in mind without you. Exactly what are you willing to do, in order to see that Captain Hook suffers greatly before he finally breathes his last breath once and for all?"

"Whatever it takes," Black Beard answered steadfastly while he looked Gold straight in the eye. "Just so long as I am around to see him pay."

Gold smiled and responded eagerly, "Excellent! I was hoping you would say that."

It was then that the Dark One summoned his dagger and then swiftly slashed it deeply across the palm of Black Beard's left hand to drench the blade within his blood as the pirate cried out, "Gah! What the devil was that for? What are you doing?"

"I'm doing exactly as promised," he replied coolly, focusing on his task as he did the same to thing to Hook's hand as well to mix the pirates' blood by way of connecting them together. "This lump of flesh has been long dead for two centuries now. But the blood in it still remains, even if it is dried up. Until now. Magic has a way of making the impossible, possible."

"So, you needed both of our bloods," the other villain stated. "What for?"

Rumpelstiltskin glared at him for a second until he raised his hand to the side of Black Beard's head and carefully began to pull out what looked like wisps from within the man's mind while he answered, "You're just going to have to trust me. Surely the answer to that question is much too complicated for the likes of you to understand, at least for now. But in time, you'll learn exactly what I'm doing and you will take pleasure in it."

When he began to infuse the wisps into Hook's hand as he had done with Black Beard's blood, the darker villain continued, "I assure you, you will be perfectly fine and that all I'm taking from you are merely copies. You won't lose anything of who you are."

"I may not be as brilliant as you believe yourself to be, Dark One, but do not mock me or think me as any less of a villain because I'm a pirate like our common enemy," Black Beard responded angrily. "I'm here seeking my revenge against Hook because he mocks me with every breath he takes. I am not one to be made a fool of. Do you understand?"

"We'll just have to see about that when all is said and done, won't we?" Gold replied and then motioned for the pirate before him to take the hand. "Provided this works and that all this ends with Captain Hook's death. But that of course will completely depend on you. Now, I suggest you take his hand and find a place to hide it where the heroes will never find it, or better yet… bury it in the earth somewhere. That is what you pirates do after all. X marks the spot and buried treasure? The time spell will last long enough for you to do what you need to do, but I suggest you hurry. And when you're finished, you will be returned to your cell so that no one will ever know I helped you do this. They'll never suspect my involvement and they'll never think that a curse I've just placed on Hook's hand could be the reason for the Captain's imminent deterioration and illness. Even should they figure it out, they'll only suspect that you were the one who found a way to curse him. Powerful magic comes in all sorts of ways. A potion, a spell from some dark and ancient book…"

Black Beard began to laugh proudly and then he spoke again saying, "I do like the way you do business, Dark One. These so called heroes can look at me all they want. I will happily take all the credit for Hook's demise. Then, I will finally be the most dreaded pirate throughout the realms. My name alone will strike fear in the hearts of all whose paths I cross, as Captain Hook's once did."

A short time later…

When Gold's spell wore off, the heroes arrived back in the harbor and Emma walked closely beside Killian along the docks, then she looked to him and asked, "Did you want to stop at Granny's to get us some food to take home?"

"I'm really not hungry," he answered quietly.

"Why don't the two of you head home and I'll go pick us up something to eat," David responded as he patted his daughter's shoulder. "Henry, did you want to come with me?"

The teenager nodded and upon seeing that his friends needed some time alone, August replied, "I'll come too."

Regina then appeared before them again and looked between David and Emma as she said, "Black Beard's tucked safely away within a cell and is eagerly awaiting one of yours lines of questioning. I figured I'd save the dirty work for one of you, as you're the sheriffs here, not me. But if you want my help with a different tactic to get him to talk, then I'm here if you need me. How are you feeling, Guyliner? You're still looking a bit queasy."

"Really, Regina?" Emma questioned with frustration, objecting to the woman's callousness even though Killian smiled until he lowered his head and turned his eyes to his hook upon feeling a strange burning pain slowly creeping up his left arm beneath his brace. "Thank you for bringing Black Beard in. I'll go talk to him in a little while, but first…"

"Hook, are you alright?" David asked worryingly as his friend suddenly gasped and struggled to yank off his brace after unlatching the hook when the pain worsened.

Emma immediately held him steady to help him remain standing as she helped him to pull the hook's support off the rest of the way, then she stated worryingly, "Killian, tell me what's wrong."

He began to grow lightheaded as the sensation traveled through his arm, chest, and finally into his head and struggled to focus his eyes on the dead flesh left behind after the loss of his hand as he weakly answered, "I don't… my arm… it's burning. Like when I had it… cauterized after the Crocodile cut off my hand, to keep it from… bleeding out."

"What the hell would cause this?" Emma stated brusquely when she looked to Regina for answers.

"I don't know," she responded ominously. "It's possible this is nothing more than really intense phantoms pains? It happens to anyone who's ever lost a limb of some sort, or so I've been told. Perhaps Dr. Whale might have some answers."

Killian's pain finally appeared to fade as most of his strength returned and he straightened himself upright while Emma continued to hold him, then he shook his head and replied curtly, "I know what bloody phantom pains are and I felt them for nearly a century after my hand was taken from me, but I haven't felt them since. Whatever just happened, it was no phantom pain."

August nodded and then answered, "Hook's right. It can't be a coincidence that whatever this was, happened after Black Beard arrived in Storybrooke. He has to be the one behind this somehow."

"But Black Beard just tried to kill him," Henry retorted. "If he had the means to do whatever this was, why would he shoot Killian when we were all on the ship? If it weren't for all of you arriving when you did, or for Mom's healing power, Killian would have died."

"I'll be sure to ask him that when I go talk to him," David responded coldly. "Your help might be needed after all, Regina. What do you say we head over there now?"

She nodded and then David turned back to his daughter and Killian again as he added, "If that other pirate is behind this, we will get him to tell us what we need to do to fix it."

Emma was about to say something more when all of a sudden Killian gasped again as he collapsed against the deck with his hand firmly against the center of his forehead as if to help lessen his pain despite her grip, causing Emma to fall against the dock along with him, then she looked at the man she loved with fear while her father and August knelt down beside them both and she cried out, "Killian, what's wrong?"

Killian couldn't hear her as he swiftly became plagued by a sudden hallucination as he watched himself set fire to a large white sail tied to a ship's main mast, then called out to the men around him to kill the rest of the ship's crew and grab whatever goods onboard the vessel they could carry. They all roared and laughed as they did as the Captain ordered, then he turned around and rapidly knocked a man standing before him unconscious with the hilt of his sword when he attempted to kill him. Killian lifted the man off the deck and over his shoulder to carry him, back to the Jolly Roger.

"Killian!" Emma dreadfully shouted again until his eyes finally shot open when he gasped awake as if from a terrible nightmare and she immediately took his face gently in her hands to try to get him to look at her. "Hey, are you with me? Killian, what happened?"

"I saw… a ship," he whispered with terror in his voice while staring straight ahead of him instead of into Emma's eyes. "In what felt like a strange memory. I set the ship on fire. There was a man… I knocked him out and took him prisoner. The crew… my crew… they pillaged the ship's goods and killed this man's own crew… on my orders."

David looked between Emma, August, and Regina before turning back to Hook again as he asked, "Do you know who this man was you captured?"

Killian clutched the bridge of his nose and replied sadly, "It was Eric, Ariel's Prince."

Emma wrapped her arms around him and held him, while Henry, David, and August stood again beside Regina. Silence fell between them and no one attempted to break it as they stood still and became lost in thought about the things Killian spoke of from within a memory they had yet to understand wasn't his own.


	7. Chapter 7

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Seven

Regina used her magic to poof herself and friends back to Emma's and Killian's home, then Emma and August gently laid Killian down on the couch within the living room so he could rest. The Savior immediately went to one of the cabinets in their kitchen to grab some aspirin for him to help what little it could against his pain that still lingered, as well as a glass of water to help him swallow the pills down with. She helped him to sit up long enough to take them and then he laid his head back against the pillows behind him as he closed his eyes. Emma laid her hand down on his chest and caressed his cheek with the other to comfort him for a few moments, then she stood again to follow her father, son, and friends back into the kitchen so that they could talk more freely without disturbing him.

Emma sighed in frustration and finally she spoke up again saying angrily, "I want to know what the hell happened to him. I need to go talk to Black Beard, but I don't want to leave him alone. Especially if whatever it was happens again."

David took his daughter by her shoulders to turn her around to look at him and responded, "Let me and Regina go deal with Black Beard. I can only imagine how scared and even more angry you must be right now, but men like that pirate… he'll only become more arrogant and smug when he sees how hurting the man you love has affected you. If Black Beard is responsible, we will find a way to stop it and help Hook."

"I'll stay here with you and Killian," Henry quickly added as he looked over at his birth mother and walked over to the freezer to grab an ice pack for his friend without giving her any time to argue.

"You know, earlier Henry said something about how Black Beard shot Hook," Regina said as she thought back to what happened between her friend and his enemy. "What if that was his intention all along? He might have used the duel as a way to distract Hook, only we arrived and distracted him instead."

August looked at the dark haired woman in confusion as he asked, "What does that have to do with what's happening to him now?"

She looked back towards Killian still lying there while her son sat down beside him and handed him the compress when he opened his eyes upon feeling someone there with him again, then Regina summoned the bullet into her hand as she continued, "It's possible that the musket ball Black Beard shot him with was coated with something… some kind of potion or dark magic that is causing this. If we can make a quick stop at my office before heading to the jail, then maybe I can use my own magic to see if I can detect any kind of trace."

"That's a good idea," David answered and nodded at Emma to assure her that they would figure it out, then he moved closer to Regina so that she could transport them both there.

"Did you need my help with anything?" August quickly called out to them before they left.

Charming watched his daughter walk back over to sit with Killian and Henry again, then he turned to their friend as he replied, "I would prefer it if you could remain here to help take care of them. They may need you… if whatever this is overwhelms Hook again."

August nodded and then the Prince and Mayor finally vanished as Emma left Killian's side again to walk back into the kitchen. But when she did so, she suddenly forgot why as the stress of all that's happened was catching up to her and she suddenly slammed her fists down against the island in the middle of the room and dropped her head into her hands with an exasperated growl, not caring that August was even there seeing her begin to break down.

He thought for a few moments before speaking to her again, but then he finally spoke quietly saying, "I know this may not matter to you much and be what you need to hear right now. But Emma, I'm here if you need me. You're going to figure this out."

"He's right, Mom," Henry responded quietly when he also came over to join them. "Killian's a survivor, remember? Besides, he's been through worse."

"Like what?" the Savior asked curtly as she raised her head to look between her son and best friend standing around her.

The sixteen year old looked back towards Killian and then he answered more quietly, "Well, he died and then became trapped down in the Underworld. Killian was tortured by Hades. And for awhile he believed that he wasn't worthy of being saved. It hurt you to see him so broken. You told us all this shortly after we met Liam, remember?"

 _Her thoughts suddenly returned to that dark night in the Underworld when she, Killian, Liam, and the rest of her family were searching for the pages sharing Hades' story as she saw Killian standing before her while he asked angrily, "Emma, when are you gonna admit that this isn't really about my brother?"_

 _"What else would you think it was about?" she asked in confusion, keeping her eyes on the man she loved and not on his brother standing beside him._

 _"Us," Killian stated simply while he moved closer to her, then Liam backed off to let his brother and the Savior talk as Killian's anger and frustration towards her grew, along with his hatred for himself. "You think if you can prove that Liam is a villain, then I'll somehow feel like I was less of one. That you can convince me I'm worth saving and that we've got a future together."_

 _Emma looked at him as she asked in disbelief, "You agree with him?"_

 _Hook tried to keep looking into her eyes, though she could see that he was struggling to keep himself together while he continued, "Why bring me back if I should just move on? After we defeat Hades, I won't be returning with you. My fate isn't in Storybrooke. It should be determined here."_

 _"It doesn't have to be," she replied sadly as tears begin to fall from her eyes, while a single tear slipped down from his own. "You can come home. You just have to forgive yourself. Thing is... no matter how many times I tell you, or anybody else does, you have to do it yourself."_

 _"Emma!" she heard him cry out to her when she finally walked away, ignoring the desperate plea in the sound of his voice._

The Savior then pushed aside the memory as her mind snapped back to the present and she looked over at Killian still lying on the couch as she whispered harshly, "Yeah. I remember. I also remember that I can't allow him to fall back into self-loathing again. There may come a time I can't bring him out of it."

Henry wrapped his arms around her and then he spoke again saying, "It won't ever come to that. You're the Savior and you bring happy endings to all of us. Killian will get his too, even if your fates are trying to tell you both differently."


	8. Chapter 8

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Eight

When Regina and David appeared within her office in a cloud of purple smoke, David watched as Regina used her magic to set up a table as well as her equipment she used to run experiments on cursed items or to make potions from, then stood nearby in silence as she got started on running tests on the musket ball she had pulled out of Hook. Regina sensed that Charming was becoming impatient when he began tapping his foot of the floor and she turned her head to glare at him by way of getting him to stop.

"I'm sorry," he stated candidly when he realized why she stopped what she was doing and why she was looking at him so crossly, then quit tapping as he walked over to her desk to take a seat on top of it while he continued to wait. "I'm just really frustrated. It's as if we didn't have enough to deal with already. And now Black Beard?"

"Well, normally I would say that this other pirate is hardly worth the trouble, but… well seeing as he's done something to Hook that's probably trouble for all of us, I would say that I'd clearly be wrong," Regina replied curtly as she held the ball up close in order for her to get a better look at the object. "As for this tiny piece of junk, I might have been wrong about it being what caused whatever's hurting him. So far, none of my magic is detecting other magic that might be on it. There's only so much I can do to detect anything and I've just about done it. I don't think it's the culprit after all."

All of a sudden, the musket ball swiftly shattered as it burst into flames when she spilled a drop of one of her potions on top of it, then snuffed the fire while David immediately rushed over to her and asked, "Are you okay? What happened?"

Regina shook her head with confusion as she responded, "I don't know. I didn't think the potion I mixed just now was that strong. But even if it was, it shouldn't have done that. This thing must have been extremely old. Either that, or…"

"Or what, Regina?" the Prince asked again sternly when she paused to think.

"It's probable there was some kind of magic on it and whatever it was, protected itself so that it was undetectable to those of us trying to trace it," she answered in frustration. "I might have gotten too close, but we'll never know now. It's also possible my magic could have been too much for an ordinary musket ball."

David sighed and then spoke again saying, "Well, at least we can still talk to Black Beard. In case he's not much in the mood to cooperate, do you really think you can to convince him to?"

The former Evil Queen smiled smugly, then replied, "I can handle him. He'll talk to us all right. He just won't be too happy about it."

"I really don't care so long as it gives us the answers we need to help Hook," he responded coldly.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty," a woman called out from the doorway, causing both Regina and the sheriff to turn around to find Princess Jasmine and Aladdin standing before them with the genie's lamp within her hands. "And David. I'm sorry for intruding. It appears you are busy, but I was hoping we could have a word with you? It is about finding a way to return home to Agrabah."

David looked over at Aladdin and saw the shackles on his wrists, then with remorse he said to the former Savior, "Snow told me about the sacrifice you made for Jasmine. Isn't finding your city the reason why you did it though? So that a wish could return you both to Agrabah?"

Aladdin looked over at the woman he loved, then he turned back to David and Regina as he answered, "Yes. That is why I put these shackles on. But we know that making wishes comes with a price. I learned that from the first genie who allowed me to find Jasmine. Had I not been thieving in the market where I was that day, having found myself poor once again after I made my final wish, I never would have met her. My three wishes worked out for me and the genie who became my closest friend in the end, but it was also because of them that I almost lost what little I cared about, and nearly myself as well. I fear what might happen to Jasmine, should she make a wish now even if it is for the good of finding our home."

"We were hoping that we can make making a wish our last resort," Jasmine continued nervously. "I fear that the consequences might not affect me as much, but my city and my people even more so. And Aladdin too."

"That's certainly understandable," Regina replied, then looked between the two men with them before she turned back to the Princess. "But I'm afraid that so long as the Evil Queen has control over the ins and outs of Storybrooke while her spell around the town remains, no one can escape to anywhere. At least not without magic… as powerful as a wish. Even if we could get the Apprentice's wand back from Gold, not even it could help us right now."

Jasmine turned away from everyone in disappointment while Aladdin moved to stand behind her as he supportively put his hand on her shoulder, then he looked back to the others with them and asked, "Do you suppose there's a chance we could convince the Dark One to help us get home. I mean, I know he probably isn't too happy that I've stolen that wand I took from him for Belle in the first place, or what's now my lamp."

Charming shook his head as he responded, "Unfortunately, we've managed to make him even angrier and there isn't a chance that he'll be willing to help any one of us out. Not now, not any time soon."

"So there's no choice then, but to use a wish?" the Princess stated sadly.

"I'm afraid so," Aladdin answered as he pulled her into a hug. "But don't worry about me or anything else right now. Whatever the consequence, we will deal with it together. I'm here for you all the way, Princess. No matter what and I assure you that's not just because you're my master right now."


	9. Chapter 9

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Nine

David and Regina walked out of the Mayor's office once Jasmine and Aladdin left, then entered the station where they saw Black Beard was lying upon the cot within the cell where they left him alone, unaware that he had escaped for a brief time with Gold's help as the Dark One had frozen time so that the heroes were all unaware of the villains' plans. The pirate sat up and turned around to look between the sheriff and Evil Queen again when he heard them enter the room. He simply laughed when they approached him.

David glared at him while he asked curtly, "What's so funny? You seem pretty cheerful for a man who just failed to kill his enemy and failed to steal back a ship that doesn't belong to him. And never will."

Before the villain could speak, Regina continued, "I'm sure he is pretty angry at himself for all that. But I'm betting he had another plan in mind just in case. And I'm also willing to bet he won't tell us whatever that is. Not without a little motivation."

"I wager Hook must have fallen ill by now?" Black Beard answered smugly as he stood to face them head on despite the cell's bars between him and them. "Tell me, exactly how is it that he's suffering?"

"How about you tell us?" David replied angrily. "You're the one who did something to make sure you didn't fail. Was it the ball from your pistol that cursed him? That must have been how you got whatever's affecting him into his system. Tell us what you've done, or Regina will use means that won't be so pleasant for you. She isn't the Evil Queen any longer, but she still has all of her power."

Their prisoner laughed haughtily again, then retorted, "Do you really expect me to believe she'll resort to dark magic so she can get me to talk? You both are heroes and if there's one thing I do know, it's that true heroes won't go so far no matter the circumstances. They're too good. But I am responsible for what's happening to him. Hook and I go a long way back and it's time that I finally make him suffer for all the trouble he's caused me."

Regina chortled and then responded, "What I can do isn't dark magic. I don't have to resort to dark magic to get you to tell me. And I don't need any magic to tell me that you had help from someone. You certainly don't have the means of creating whatever curse or spell is affecting Hook."

"I was the one who infected him," Black Beard answered sternly while he glared at the sorceress standing in front of him as she attempted to read his thoughts until she quickly learned that someone or something was preventing her in doing so. "I happily take all the credit for what will soon be the end of Captain Hook. It's a pity that he's lived for over two hundred years all alone and has only now found love within the last few."

"You don't actually know what magic is affecting him, do you?" David asked skeptically upon realizing that though he's admitted to hurting their friend, Black Beard hasn't yet actually told them what he's done. "You brag about being the one who's killing your enemy and yet you haven't once mentioned how you've done it. I guess whoever helped you wasn't very forthcoming."

It was then that Regina received a text message from Henry and quickly showed it to David, then she turned back to the villain as she spoke up saying, "It appears that the two of you seem to have developed some kind of psychic connection, or something like it. You're in his mind. Aren't you?"

Black Beard smiled cruelly and then replied, "Go ahead and try to figure it out for yourself. Try to invade my mind again. But I promise you that you won't find what you're looking for. I've met many powerful beings long before I arrived here in this town you call Storybrooke, any one of whom could have given me the power to destroy my nemesis."

"He's right," she responded as she turned back to David. "I can't read his mind. He's somehow blocking me. Or the person helping him is."

"Someone's come here with you from the Land of Untold Stories," the sheriff continued angrily when he suddenly grabbed the pirate by the collar of his jacket through the bars and held him roughly against them in front of him. "Haven't they? Tell me who it is!"

Black Beard only laughed, then all of a sudden a thought donned on Regina and she grabbed her friend by his arm as she said, "It's possible it wasn't a new villain with a grudge against Hook or the rest of us is behind this at all. My doppelganger could be the one helping him. She would have the power to keep me from invading his mind and she'd be only too eager to use a pirate like Black Beard. I'm going to go have a chat with her and my sister. You should get back to Emma and Hook."

David nodded and released their prisoner, then whispered, "Be careful. Let me know if you need help in reasoning with her. And Regina, thank you. I know you're dealing with a lot right now. Between Robin's death and Zelena being a struggle while she's figuring out whose side she's really on, we're all here for you. All you need to do is ask."


	10. Chapter 10

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Ten

Meanwhile…

Both Henry and August stayed with Emma and Killian as David had asked of them while they were gone, but they remained in the kitchen or the dining room unless they were helping Emma care for their friend despite his best efforts to assure them all that he was alright and didn't need their ministrations.

Killian struggled to sit up straighter against the arm of the couch he had been lying against for awhile until Emma returned to his side, then he smiled weakly as he spoke up with confidence saying, "I am feeling better, love. I promise. You needn't worry so much. My mind is still a little hazy, but I can see you clearly and I'm sitting up again."

She stared down at the ugly flesh on the end of his left arm that still remained uncovered while the brace he always wore over it rested on the floor nearby along with his hook, but upon noticing her looking at it, Killian suddenly became very self-conscious and quickly pulled the sleeve of his leather jacket down over it, then Emma immediately apologized as she laid her hand on his arm and whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… You don't have to feel like you always have to keep it hidden from me, Killian. It's not like I haven't seen it before. While you were in the hospital after you got yourself hit by that car after attacking Belle and Gold at the town line, your arm remained uncovered for a few days before we gave you your brace back."

"Yes well… I wasn't exactly thinking very clearly then since your doctor had me on some pretty heavy drugs if I remember correctly," he responded smugly, until he became serious again. "Nor did I care about trying to impress you. At the time, I was still angry with you. Angry at everyone and everything because I was still filled with so much hate."

"You've always made an effort to impress me," Emma replied in an effort to lighten his mood upon seeing him become so down on himself while she began to trace over fingers along the contours of his face, causing him to smile at her sadly. "Isn't it you who's always saying just how devilishly handsome you are? You're right you know. Every part of you. But your arm isn't necessarily the reason for your brooding, is it? You're thinking about the things you saw in that memory of yours."

Killian nodded as he answered, "Aye. But something doesn't feel right about it. What I saw must have been a memory because you're the only one having visions of your future. Except this memory wasn't my own. I've taken royals prisoner before and yet I've never kidnapped Prince Eric. That was Black Beard."

The Savior suddenly remembered Ariel coming to Storybrooke and asking them all for their help to find her Prince and swiftly responded, "That's right. During the missing year you mean. Ariel arrived and sought your help in finding him, though it was actually Zelena which none of us knew at the time. You eventually were able to tell us that Black Beard had taken Prince Eric prisoner in hope of ransoming him off when the time was right. Except that when you helped Ariel to find him while you were all trapped within the Enchanted Forest and my memories of you were lost, Black Beard wanted you to hand the Jolly Roger over to him instead and you believed you had killed him. I'm really sorry that you got caught up in all that by the way. I don't think I ever apologized for putting you in that position with Zelena."

"Actually, it was your parents who convinced me to help her, though it was right for them to do so," he replied smugly. "Even though Ariel did turn out to be that witch in disguise… At least the whole dastardly ordeal I had caused for myself helped me to find a small peace of mind after I believed for almost a year that my actions led her Prince to his death. Which brings me to have to ask you if there's something you can do for me?"

"Anything," she immediately answered as she took his hand in her own. "You know that you can ask me for anything."

He smiled again and then he asked, "I somehow must have seen one of his memories, but as though it was I who lived it. At least I hope that's all this was. Do you think that you would be able to check in on Ariel and Eric again, as you did before when I came to your parents' loft that night to inform them… to lie to them about having helped Ariel that day."

Emma squeezed his hand tighter as she looked into his eyes and responded, "Zelena gave you no choice. I may not have appreciated finding out that you had lied to us all at the time, but I understand why you had to. She had put you in an impossible situation and you were only protecting me and the rest of my family, especially Henry. But tell me, why do you need to look in on Ariel and Eric now?"

"I just want to make sure my instincts telling me that what I saw earlier truly was nothing more than a memory, mine or not," Killian replied worryingly. "I need to make sure he's alright in case what I saw was more of a vision. I struggle enough with my own foul misdeeds and I remember every terrible thing I've ever done. I don't think I can bear it if I'm wrong about being the one who might kidnap him, or that I already had. It's bad enough that I had to see Black Beard hurt him."

"I can use mirror magic like Regina taught me how to do," she answered after she leaned in close to kiss him, then Emma stood as she made the cheval mirror from their bedroom upstairs appear within the living room and moved to stand in front of it, looking inward in order to focus on conjuring an image with the hope of seeing their friends on Hangman's Island.

After nearly a minute, the haze of Emma's magic cleared and Ariel appeared before them as the mermaid walked towards her own mirror before her upon seeing Emma as well, as she called out, "Emma? Is that really you?"

The Savior stared at the red headed woman with surprise as she stated, "Ariel? You can really see me? I don't understand. How? I didn't think mirror magic worked this way."

"Perhaps it's because your magic has become far more powerful since the last time you did this," Killian responded quietly as he moved to stand behind her despite feeling as weak as he was.

"I'm not sure how this is possible, but it's really is good to see you again," Ariel replied again and turned her eyes to Killian. "And you too, Hook. But what's going on? Is everything all right?"

Hook was about to reply when he began to feel a wave of dizziness wash over him until Emma steadied him, then he continued, "I was hoping to learn that your Prince Eric was there with you. That he's safe."

The mermaid stared at the pirate in confusion as she answered, "Yes he's safe. Why would you ask that? Do you suspect that something's wrong, or is about to happen to us? To him?"

"No," Emma immediately responded before Killian could say anything more that might show Ariel he was feeling guilty over something that wasn't real. "A lot's happened here in Storybrooke since you've both been here and your names only recently have came up. We just wanted to check in on you, to make sure that you both were alright."

"Of course we're alright," the Prince they worried about replied as he too appeared within the mirror behind his true love. "Have we been threatened or something? If Ariel and I need to leave…"

Emma interrupted, "I'm certain you're safe where you're at. It's just that Black Beard has arrived here and we were reminded of when Prince Eric had been taken prisoner by him. Hook told us about what happened during the year we all forgot. Black Beard was only trying to upset us by bringing up some of the cruel acts he's committed against our friends. That's all."

Eric nodded in understanding and then he answered, "I appreciate both of your concerns."

"We both do," Ariel sincerely added, but before anything else could be said, she looked over at Killian worryingly when he closed his eyes as he suddenly whimpered in pain again and started to double over until Emma swiftly caught him, then August and Henry both rushed over to help the Savior guide him back to the couch. "Hook! Is he…?"

"Killian?" Emma cried fearfully when he collapsed as he had done before and then became trapped within another memory that was more intense than the one before, while the Savior's mirror magic faded. "I'm right here. You're going to be okay. Please talk to me. What are you seeing?"

Henry kept his eyes on his friend while he said, "We're going to have to wait again until whatever he's seeing is finished."

Emma held the man she loved tightly within her arms so long as whatever was tormenting him continued while she wept silently and finally the memory ended and Killian gasped awake once more, then stammered faintly, "Anna… and Kristoff… I kill… I killed them."


	11. Chapter 11

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Eleven

After David left the sheriff's station, he walked down the streets until he arrived at Granny's Diner and entered inside to pick up some food for his family since none of them have eaten all day. When he did so, he saw Belle sitting with Grumpy and Archie in one of the booths closest to the back of the room, Ashley standing up at the bar with her husband Thomas and their daughter Alexandra as they waited for their own order, while he assumed Granny was in the diner's kitchen making all of their meals.

Ashley noticed him as he walked in and when he started to come over to them she called out, "David. Hi! It's been awhile since you and Snow have asked me to look after Neal. It's been awhile since we've really seen you at all. We've seen your wife though. How have you been? I can only imagine how difficult things are with the curse and all, but…"

Thomas reached out to touch her shoulder as he spoke up saying quickly, "Ashley, you should probably give him a few seconds to answer."

"I'm so sorry," she replied awkwardly as she looked between her husband and their friend, then picked Alexandra up when the little girl reached out to her. "Alexandra here was up all night last night because of a bad dream and therefore so was I. I've had a lot of coffee in hope that it will keep me awake until tonight."

"It's all right," David answered with a chuckle. "I've had those kind of nights too for a few reasons, mostly because of my children. A lot has been happening lately, but for the most part I'm doing fairly well. We've actually been leaving Neal with Aurora and Phillip lately. Me and Snow thought that our son would enjoy playing with theirs a bit more, than maybe with Alexandra? I hope you understand."

Thomas smiled, as did Ashley, and then he responded, "Of course we do. Our daughter's a bit older than Neal is and they're both getting big."

The Prince turned sheriff nodded as he replied, "That he is. Listen, I… I would love to stay and talk, but I'm in the middle of some trouble going on. Hook has been hurt somehow by one of his old enemies who's arrived in Storybrooke recently and I really need to get back to him and Emma. I just needed to get some food for everyone since none of us have really eaten for awhile."

"Well then you're in luck because I've got plenty of food ready to go for those of you in a hurry," Granny said sternly as she walked out from her kitchen carrying a couple bags of food and set them down in front of Cinderella and her own Prince Charming, then motioned to Leroy over at the table still to come over and carry over the tray of drinks she was now preparing for him and those with him. "If you let me finish up here, I will quickly get whatever you'd like ready to go. What can I get you?"

"You really ought to hire someone to help you out here, Granny," David answered upon observing how busy the woman was.

Granny handed off the drinks to the dwarf when she finished, then let out a growl in frustration and paused to stare at her friend as she responded, "I did. A few times. I had my granddaughter working with me until she decided to go off on her own adventure, not that I blame her… Then I hired a few others to work for me and one I caught stealing money from the cash register and had to fire him, while the other girl remained behind in the Enchanted Forest when we were given the choice to either return here to Storybrooke or stay in our old home. I figured that I'd be better off working as I am. So, what can I get you?"

Charming laughed and then he replied, "I just need enough food for five. Throw in a grilled cheese sandwich and some onion rings for Emma and Henry. I'm not so sure what the rest of us would like, but I'm sure that anything you've got will be just perfect."

"You've got it," the older woman stated and immediately walked back into the kitchen again.

"We're going to get going, but I really hope everything works out and that Hook will be alright," Ashley whispered as she patted David's arm, then Thomas reached out to shake his hand.

David smiled again and answered, "Thank you. I'll pass along your kindness, to Hook and to Emma. Try to get some sleep tonight."

He watched them leave, then while he waited for Granny, David moved towards the table where the others were sitting enjoying their own meals as Grumpy called out, "Hey brother! It's good you could join us."

"Thanks, but I can't stay for very long," the Prince responded in frustration while he took a seat in the booth beside Archie. "I need to get back, but we need to eat too. So I'm here."

"Is there something wrong?" Belle asked with concern as she saw the despair and weariness on David's face. "I mean other than what's been going on with Emma and her visions?"

He sighed and then replied, "There's been a new attack. This time it was on Hook and we don't know much of anything yet, other than that Black Beard's involved. And he's not talking about who's helping him."

Archie looked over at his friend after he took a sip of his coffee and questioned, "And you're sure that this other pirate is for certain working with someone else?"

"Black Beard won't admit it, as he's perfectly happy taking all the blame for what's happened to his oldest enemy, but seeing as dark magic is involved with whatever's happening to Hook… yeah, I'm pretty sure he's working with someone else," David answered. "Regina thinks the Evil Queen might be helping him, since she's still trying to destroy us all one by one. She's gone over there now to try to talk to her."

"How is Killian holding up?" the psychiatrist continued with genuine concern for their friend. "And Emma too, of course."

Charming rubbed his eyes tiredly, then he responded, "I'm not really sure. Hook didn't look too good when I left them. And Emma…"

He paused a moment when he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket upon receiving another message, then looked down to read it while he continued, "Well, I don't really think she's doing much better. She's really worried about him. So am… I. I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"Is everything alright?" Belle quickly called out to him as he stood up to leave without waiting for the food he had come in for.

"Whatever happened to Hook before is happening again," David replied sternly and then rushed out of the door.

It was then that Granny walked over with the bags of food for their Prince and upon seeing that he was no longer in her diner she asked curtly, "Where did he go? Does he no longer want the food he asked for?"

Belle stood up and took one of the bags from her while she answered, "I'll bring their order to them. David had to leave to help Hook and Emma."

"I'm come with you," Grumpy said when he picked up the other two bags and moved to stand with Belle. "If there's trouble happening, I want to know about it."

"Thank you, Leroy," she responded sincerely and together they left as well to follow their friend to Emma's and Killian's home after saying goodbye to the others.


	12. Chapter 12

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Twelve

Inside Killian's mind again…

 _"How do you keep doing that?" he heard Anna ask a man he watched just board his ship with surprise in her voice, seeing the Princess from Arendelle onboard the Jolly Roger when she and her fiancé looked all around them while pirates surrounded them._

 _"You didn't exactly leave inconspicuously," the newcomer answered smugly as he moved to stand beside the ship's Captain, only Killian saw Hans move to stand beside him as he continued seeing through Black Beard's eyes. "A paid informant on the docks in Arendelle and the swiftest ship in the Navy got us here just in time."_

 _While two of the men who arrived with the other leader worked to tie Anna's and Kristoff's wrists together behind their backs, Anna looked to him as she spoke in disbelief, "This was a trap? We have a deal! Something about... What, well over 200 pounds of gold."_

 _Out of Black Beard's mouth, he heard himself laugh at her for being so naïve and then respond, "You know, when you're angry, you look so much like your mother."_

 _"Wait," she stated with confusion while he reached out to touch her chin until Anna pulled away from him. "You met my mother?"_

 _"And your dear Papa as well," he replied. "A very regal couple. The fact they thought I wouldn't recognize royalty was charmingly naive of them. Honestly, I liked them. Sold them the star at cost, actually."_

 _Kristoff looked at the pirate Captain to verify what he meant as he questioned, "The Wishing Star?"_

 _Anna immediately turned back to the man she loved as she continued, "That doesn't make sense. If they had it, they would've used it to take away Elsa's magic."_

 _"Oh, well, perhaps they didn't know that the Wishing Star can only be used by those with... pure hearts," Killian heard himself answer again._

 _"Well, if there's another one, we're still interested," the Princess responded when the Captain turned his back to her. "And we can pay just as much as he can."_

 _Hans retorted, "Can you? Because my brothers and I spent Wednesday rolling around on the money in the royal treasury."_

 _He and his brothers all began to laugh until Anna replied, "You rolled around in gold bars? Weird. And ouch."_

 _"Figure of speech," the Prince said again irritably as he glared back at her, "We reveled in it. The point is, it's now in my control, not yours. You're what they call penniless. But, uh, that doesn't matter, because where you're going, you don't need money."_

 _"Where is that?" she asked curtly._

 _Hans stood directly in front of the woman he was taunting and answered her with one word as he stated, "Death."_

 _Kristoff moved in closer to her while he glared at their enemy and answered, "I'm not sure that's a place."_

 _"Well, you're both about to find out," the man from the Southern Isles responded, looking between them both when more of his brothers pulled their swords and put them to their prisoners' throats, as Anna and Kristoff turned their heads to look at one another in worry._

 _A short time later, while still onboard the Jolly Roger…_

 _"This is the treacherous area known as Poseidon's Bone Yard..." Prince Hans spoke again while he pointed out at the ocean in front of them. "The exact spot where your parents' ship went down. How fitting that mother and daughter will have their last regrets in the same place. Will you both die, wishing you'd never tried to help your freak sister? Well... Maybe your bones will mingle with your mother's on the bottom of the sea."_

 _The pirate called to his men as he shouted, "Bring forward the trunk!"_

 _As he motioned for the other pirates to open the trunk's lid, Hans looked to the Captain and questioned in confusion, "There's a trunk? How... How will their bones mingle if she's in a trunk?"_

 _"I once had a rival who made me walk the plank," Killian heard while he listened to Black Beard talk of the last time the two of them fought. "And much to my surprise, I was saved by a mermaid. I applied the lesson. This trunk will make sure you die without 'finterference."_

 _"Elsa's gonna get out of that urn, and when she does, she's gonna take back the kingdom and kick you and your brothers back to the Southern Isles, which sounds lovelier than I bet it actually is," Anna steadfastly retorted through the pirates' and the Princes' laughter while a few of the men forced her and Kristoff into the trunk where there was hardly enough room for them both. "Uhh!"_

 _Prince Hans continued to goad her, staring down at her within the chest as he replied, "I doubt that. I control the Royal Navy, the Vast Armies, and even this Enchanted Ship you're about to be thrown off... The Jolly Roger. And if Elsa hasn't found a way to escape an urn in the last thirty years, I doubt she ever will."_

 _The Princess and the Kingdom's Ice Master looked at one another as they became confused, and she cried out, "Wait. What? Thirty years?"_

 _"The spell that froze Arendelle, it had us all frozen for thirty years," he answered._

 _"My aunt kept us like that for decades?" Anna questioned in disbelief as she turned to Kristoff beside her. "Elsa. My poor sister. She was stuck in an urn all that time!"_

 _The man who loved her spoke again while they continued to struggle working through all of the new information, then he asked, "Why would Ingrid unfreeze us all right now?"_

 _She quickly responded, "Because she wants to do something worse. We have to get to Elsa. We have to stop whatever it is Ingrid... aah!"_

 _"She's so talky," Hans stated in annoyance._

 _"Men!" the pirate Captain shouted, by way of ordering the men with him to throw the trunk overboard while the Prince of the Southern Isles and his brothers watched on with pleasure and then they all broke out into laughter once more._

Killian finally broke free from Black Beard's memory and Emma could see that he was even more disoriented and terrified than he had been before while he struggled to reply to her pleas, then he stammered faintly, "Anna… and Kristoff… I kill… I killed them."

It was then David returned to their home and immediately rushed over to his daughter and friend while the Savior immediately placed her hand on the side of Killian's face to try to get him to focus on hers as she replied worryingly, "Just try to calm down. It's all right. I'm right here. Just look at me and tell me what you mean. What did you see?"

"Our friends from Arendelle, Elsa's sister and her fiancé…" he answered weakly before Emma and August helped him to lay back down so he could be as comfortable as possible, which was also when both Leroy and Belle entered the room and looked upon the frightening scene in silence. "I killed them. I mean… He killed them. I'm not sure…"

"Everything's hazy," Killian continued while he closed his eyes to try to think about exactly what it was he really saw. "I saw myself there, but a part of me… a part of me knew I was only speaking through Black Beard. Seeing… through his eyes. It was his memory… like before. It just felt as though…"

When Hook cut himself off upon feeling the ache in his head worsen even more than before, David responded, "Don't try to think about how you felt yourself being there, only Black Beard. Help us to understand what he did. You can do this, Hook."

Killian sighed in frustration as he laid his head deeper into the pillows behind him and kept his eyes closed to try to recall the memory even more than he could moments ago while Emma took his hand again, then he replied quietly, "We were… Black Beard, I mean. And Anna and Kristoff, along with several pirates and other royals… I think. They were all onboard the Jolly Roger, in the middle of the ocean. They spoke of Elsa being trapped… in some urn, frozen for three… no, thirty years. They forced them into a trunk and tossed them overboard to drown them."

"Killian, they're not dead," Emma said again sadly upon realizing that he must have seen the moments that led up to Anna and Kristoff arriving here in Storybrooke thanks to Elsa's wish on the Wishing Star in her possession. "This memory was back when Ingrid was about to cast her Shattered Sight curse on us. Black Beard obviously trapped them within that trunk which they washed up onshore in when Elsa wished for her sister to be here. And Elsa was freed from the urn when we accidently brought it back here with us from the past, through Zelena's time portal. Now they're all back home in Arendelle and they're safe. Anna and Kristoff are probably married and Elsa's taken back her Kingdom from I'm assuming were the royals you saw in the memory with Black Beard."

"What the hell is happening to me?" Killian asked despondently as he turned and pulled away from everyone surrounding him, then released the hand holding his so that he could massage his brow in effort to lessen his pain rising within him.

Emma wiped away the tears that slipped down her cheeks and then she whispered, "I don't know. But we're going to find out. We're going to help you. Just please don't give up on yourself."

When she saw that Killian wasn't able to continue talking any longer, the woman who loved him leaned down to kiss the top of his head and stood up with help from August, then she motioned to her family and friends to follow her into the dining room where they could talk quietly without worrying about him hearing them.

She looked at her father as she quickly stated, "I'm glad you're back. This second memory came on just as sudden as the first one did. But it hit him a lot harder."

"Wait, you mean whatever this was happened to Hook once already?" Grumpy questioned with more callousness than he had intended while the dwarf stared at the Savior and the others who have been with her since it all began. "Is he the only one who's been affected, or do we have to worry about it happening to someone else?"

"Leroy, now's not the time to go running around to start a panic," David answered sternly as he took the bags of food from his friend and set them down on the dining room table. "And no. You don't have to worry about this spreading around to anyone else. Hook's been cursed by Black Beard and another villain somehow."

Emma asked again, "Black Beard told you that? Are you sure?"

David shrugged while he responded, "It makes sense. He doesn't have magic of his own and so he didn't create whatever's hurting Hook. But Black Beard isn't talking except to take complete credit for it. He's proud to take all the credit. Regina tried reading his thoughts, but whoever is helping him, is blocking her to keep her from doing so. She suspects that the Evil Queen might be involved and that's why she didn't come with me. She's gone to speak with her and Zelena."

"Is there anything I can do to help Killian?" Belle asked with sincerity as she looked over at him still lying on the couch. "Whatever you need, I want to help."

"I appreciate that," Emma replied sadly and then let out a nervous sigh. "But until we figure out who's responsible for hurting him, I'm not sure if we can do anything for him. He's becoming more and more confused. A part of him believes he's the one doing the terrible things Black Beard's done."

August looked over at her while he questioned, "You think, because he's seeing Black Beard's memories through his own eyes?"

She nodded as she also looked over at the man she loved in fear, then answered, "Killian is also falling ill. He's burning up. I could feel heat rising within him as I held him and kissed his head. I'm going to try using my powers to heal him again, but… I doubt my magic can be of much help to him. He's only going to continue to get worse and another memory could hit him again at any time. We can't just wait!"

"What if Black Beard is connected to Killian in some way," Henry said when another idea came to him. "I mean, obviously he is because they're sharing memories, but… What if Black Beard is controlling what memories Killian has been forced to see because of that connection and when they come?"

"What are you saying, Henry?" his grandfather asked upon being confused by what he was trying to get at.

The sixteen year old looked between everyone while he responded, "What if we were to put him under a spell of our own? We can keep Black Beard unconscious until we figure out what's going on and maybe that way we'll be able to protect Killian from being bombarded by his memories. If Black Beard's not awake to control what happens…"

Emma walked back over to Killian and knelt down beside him again, then she looked at her son as she replied, "I say we give it a try. I'll try anything to help him."

Upon seeing that Hook appeared to have fallen asleep and that his daughter probably wanted time alone while she remained with him as she laid her head down on his chest and held him, David ushered Henry and their friends into the kitchen. He and Henry opened the bags of food and they, as well as August began to eat while Belle and Grumpy stood by with them. They all waited together for word from Emma on what she wanted to do next when she was ready.

A memory of her own entered her thoughts while she rested beside the man she loved with her whole heart and she heard Killian's voice in her head as he told her she was his happy ending. But she also saw the sadness in his eyes as he had become reminded of how he might lose her because he had been a villain.

Emma knew that a big part of him still believed he could lose her at any moment because of the things he had done and when she looked at him again, she also feared she might lose him too as she had when he had pleaded with her to kill him to save them all. She wasn't going to let that happen again. Not because of a real villain like Black Beard.


	13. Chapter 13

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Thirteen

Out at Zelena's farmhouse…

Regina used her magic to transport herself outside of the door, then took a deep breath before knocking. It took three knocks before Zelena finally opened up and glared at her sister when she saw her, then she turned her back to Regina as she walked away without so much as a word to finish setting her table for four, leaving the door wide open to indicate that Regina could come in if she insisted. Regina simply shrugged and followed her sister into the dining room.

She was the first to speak as she said sternly, "I appreciate the warm welcome."

Zelena chortled and then responded, "You'll forgive me if I'm not particularly in the mood to see you right now. I was expecting a little company and none of the guests I invited were you. I'm surprised you even bothered knocking. Usually you just poof your way in. To what do I owe this poorly timed visit?"

"Well I actually came here to talk to my other self about something important and I hoped she might be more willing if I didn't just invite myself in," Regina answered as she observed the dish settings, then looked over at the cradle in the corner where she saw that baby Robin was sleeping. "It was a foolish hope, I know. Where is she?"

"Do I look like her secretary or her babysitter?" the Wicked Witch asked curtly. "I don't know where she is, or when she'll be back. Or if she'll even be back for that matter. Though I suspect she will be because despite our differences, I genuinely believe she actually wants me to be her sister. Which is nice. You know, because you can't bear to even look at me long enough to try yourself."

Regina rolled her eyes and replied, "I am trying to put all of our hate behind me. It's just not that easy to do after we've been hating one another for so long. Look, I didn't come here for all of this. I really need to…"

All of a sudden, the Evil Queen poofed herself into the room and she smiled upon seeing her doppelganger standing before her, then she spoke up saying, "You really need to what? To talk to me? I have to say I'm intrigued by your visit. You don't usually come all the way out here unless there's some big emergency in town that you've come to accuse me of starting. What have I supposedly done this time?"

"All right," the former Queen responded in frustration as she turned around to face her other self head on. "You want to push aside all the niceties and get right down to business, that's fine by me. What the hell have you done to Hook? And why the hell would you align yourself with Black Beard of all people?"

"That's why you're here?" Zelena stated with disbelief as she stood up again after leaning down to check on her daughter. "Because the Savior's pirate has gotten himself into trouble again with some other pirate who's come after him seeking revenge? There's no surprise there. It's all he does."

The evil woman laughed and then answered, "I have to say I agree with our sister. And a little bit wounded by your accusation."

Regina glared at her doppelganger as she replied, "No you're not. It's not like you haven't aligned yourself with other fools to get what you wanted before. It also wasn't too long ago that you tried to split Emma and Hook up by spilling one of his many secrets and getting him kidnapped and almost killed by his own brother. So forgive me for suspecting you this time. I know you think it's crazy that I consider Emma and Hook my friends, but I do and right now one of them is fighting for his life, while the other one is scared to death of losing him again. I'm going to do everything I can to stop whoever's doing this, so if it's you…"

"It wasn't me," she interrupted curtly. "But something tells me that I'm going to wish I had. Did you even think to ask Black Beard himself before coming here to accuse me?"

"Of course I did," her good self responded. "That's why I realized I should come here. Black Beard is all too happy to take the credit for what's happening to his enemy. The problem is that there's some kind of dark magic involved in what's hurting Hook and seeing as that pirate is without an ounce of magic in him, it's obvious he had to have had help. Then there's also the fact that when I tried to read his mind to find answers, I discovered I couldn't. Who else would have the kind of power to be able to block me, but you?"

The Evil Queen sarcastically answered, "Oh I don't know. I suppose it could have been our sister, or Rumpelstiltskin, or the Dragon… who hasn't yet made a reappearance since I lost possession of his heart. But if it was perhaps for the greater good that Captain Hook dies, then it's very possible he might be behind this. Oh, or since Black Beard is a new arrival to Storybrooke, perhaps he brought another villain with him from whatever cursed land he came from. Hyde hated the pirate. Perhaps the first doppelganger had a few friends from the Land of Untold Stories who are trying to make the man who killed him pay. Dr. Jekyll too. Although that idea is pretty doubtful. I suspected not too many people really liked that weakling. My point is, there are infinite possibilities as to who would want to see the Savior's boyfriend dead, or to see her suffer as well. How exactly is Hook dying this time?"

Regina shook her head in frustration as she replied, "This really was a big mistake to come here. Or maybe it wasn't. Because if you were behind what's happening to him, I'm almost certain you would be happy to admit it like Black Beard did. And you certainly don't ever try to hide whatever treacherous and evil plans you conjure up to tear us apart. So thanks. But the only way you're going to get me to tell you what's going on with Hook, is if you actually agree to help us find the real culprit and stop him."

"Would you believe me if I were to say yes to helping you?" the other dark haired woman asked before her good self could disappear.

"Not a chance in hell," Regina responded firmly, then suddenly vanished from the farmhouse with a wave of her hand.

After she was gone, the Evil Queen just laughed and then took a seat at the table across from Zelena as she said, "She was right not to trust me. I have to admit, I am a little disappointed I didn't come up with the idea to help Black Beard."

The wicked sister looked at her with surprise as she asked, "So, you knew Rumple was the one behind Hook's ailment already and you didn't say anything, not even after Gold threatened you? Do you know what he's done to the pirate?"

"Of course I do," she answered smugly. "I know everything going on in this town, remember? He cursed Hook's dead hand that Rumple stole from him long ago with some kind of dark memory spell, using blood magic and something else that I don't understand or really even care to. But now the two pirates are linked and Hook is reliving some of Black Beard's memories through his own eyes. It's genius. As for why I didn't tell Regina any of this to spite Rumple… there isn't any fun in that. Rumpelstiltskin deserves to be punished for destroying what we had together, but I have a few other ideas in mind to accomplish that. I also look forward to watching Emma and Hook suffer. Who else is eating with us tonight? I don't recall inviting anyone over."

"I did," Zelena replied curtly. "This is after all, my house. And if you must know, I met a few villains awhile back that used to reside in the Land of Untold Stories. I decided to invite them over to see if we can't strike up a few plans of our own. One of them is a Count who used to fight against those who call themselves the Three Musketeers. And the other is currently residing in their asylum, but I'm going to break her out because I think she and I would get along swimmingly. Cinderella's Evil Stepmother."

A thought quickly donned on her as she added, "Hey, you and her actually have a little something in common."

The dark haired woman smiled as she spoke again saying, "Indeed we do, big sis. How very devious of you."


	14. Chapter 14

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Fourteen

After she rested for a few minutes while she kept her head down on Killian's chest as a way not only to meant to comfort him, but herself as well, Emma slowly sat up and leaned in to kiss his lips while he continued to sleep uneasily, then she walked back into the kitchen to join the others still there for them.

"It's time I go confront Black Beard myself," she said curtly as she looked between her father and her son. "If he is in control over the memories Killian's seeing, then we need to take away that control by going through with Henry's idea. I don't know how much help it will really be for him to remain unconscious until we fix this, but… I know that I'll certainly feel better after I knock him out either way."

"It's a good idea," David replied before she could second guess herself. "I'm coming with you. But before we go, I'd feel better if you took a few minutes to eat something. We have now, but I know that you and Hook haven't."

Belle spoke up then saying, "I can stay here and watch over him for you while you're out doing what you can to help him. And in a little while I can try to get him to eat after he gets the rest he needs."

Emma nodded as she responded sincerely, "Thank you, Belle. I really appreciate you being here for him."

"I'm happy to be," the red haired woman answered as Emma took a few bites of her sandwich to please her father. "Not that I'm happy Killian's in trouble of course, but… I needed a distraction from my own troubles like I mentioned earlier this morning. If anything happens, I will let you know."

"I'm going to go find Mom," Henry stated as he looked over at Emma. "To let her know what we're about do. Then we can meet you and Grandpa back at the station. Don't worry, the Evil Queen isn't going hurt me and neither will Zelena. I just need to get out of here for a little while. This is happening to Killian because he was protecting me."

Emma pulled her son into a hug as she replied, "That isn't true, Henry. This is happening because Black Beard came after Killian for revenge. Killian was protecting you, but because he was afraid his enemy would hurt you to hurt him. He was also shot when I distracted him, but Black Beard is the only one to blame for this. Black Beard and whoever's helping him."

August crossed his arms and responded, "I can stay here with Hook and Belle. She may need some help. Especially if this second villain we're dealing with should come to accelerate their plan."

"Don't worry about that," the Savior answered with confidence as she raised her hands and began to cast a protection spell upon hers and Killian's home. "My magic will keep anyone who might come here to try to hurt Killian again out. And I'll know about it if they do. The three of you will be safe here. Just please call me right away if Killian suffers through another of Black Beard's memories."

"Of course," he replied firmly. "Try not to worry. We'll take good care of him."

She nodded and then responded, "I know you will. And thank you."

Emma walked back over to Killian one final time as she sat down on the couch beside him, then she gently laid her hand on the side of his face to wake him and when he weakly opened his eyes to look at her, she spoke to him softly saying, "I need to leave you for awhile so I can try to get to the truth. But I'm going to be back as soon as I can be. August and Belle are staying here to look after you."

"Plea… please be careful," he answered in worry while he gripped her other hand as tightly as he could and held it against his chest over his heart as if to give himself some assurance that she would be alright. "I should… be going with you. Black Beard…"

"Black Beard may be your enemy, but you don't have to fight him alone anymore," the Savior replied sternly upon sensing what he was trying to tell her before he could finish. "I love you. So when someone comes here to try to hurt you, it affects me too and I won't let him win."

He smiled softly until a wave of pain suddenly washed over him while his eyes fell closed, then Emma leaned down over him and she kissed him once more, but when she started to pull away from him, his grip on her hand tightened indicating that he needed her to stay close for a moment longer as he whispered, "I love… love you too, Emma. I always will."

She smiled sadly and then responded, "I know. I've always known since the kiss we shared back in Neverland."

A short time later…

Emma, David, and Leroy made their way back into town as they headed to the sheriff's station in order to confront the latest villain who arrived to cause the heroes more trouble by hurting one of their own. But stopped when they heard a woman calling to them in the distance and were surprised to see Ariel rushing towards them from the direction of the harbor.

"Emma!" the little mermaid said eagerly as she finally caught up to them and struggled to regain control of her breath before she could say anything else.

"Ariel, what are you doing here?" Emma asked sounding more cross than happy to see her, which she was. "Did you swim all the way here from… Hangman's Island? Is everything okay?"

She smiled worryingly and answered, "Of course I'm fine. And so is Eric, but Hook collapsed before your magic over our mirrors faded. I couldn't just stay at home to finish packing a few bags for mine and Eric's voyage to visit with his people as though I didn't see what I saw. You and Hook found a way to get in touch with us to make sure we were alright. I had to do the same. So, I swam here as fast as I could. How is he? Please tell me he's alright."

The Savior pulled Ariel into a hug as she replied, "He's not well. But we're on our way to talk again with the bastard who hurt him. Black Beard."

"It is nice to see you," she continued when she released the red haired woman and took a few steps back while she turned her head to look towards the station. "I just wish I had the time to catch up."

"I want to help you," Ariel responded with sincerity. "I had to rescue Black Beard the last time I saw Hook in order to find Eric. But it was Hook I called a monster because he was the one who tried to kill Black Beard before I could find out where he was keeping my husband. All for a ship. I had no idea how wrong I was. I didn't fully understand that Hook only did it because he was so broken when he thought he lost you for good. He saved me from being trapped inside that bottle and now you checked on us to make sure Eric and I were okay."

Emma quickly corrected her as she stated, "That was actually Killian who asked me to look in on you. He was afraid you were in danger, or worse… that Eric might even have been dead."

The mermaid nodded in understanding and then answered, "It's my turn to repay him."


	15. Chapter 15

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Fifteen

After Regina vanished and she finished talking with her sister when Zelena left the room to take care of her daughter as she awoke from her nap, the Evil Queen left the farmhouse as well, then poofed into Gold's pawnshop. Upon her appearance, the sorceress found herself standing behind the Dark One, who was bending over one of the display cases towards the back of the room while he worked to carefully pull each piece of broken glass out from among his possessions.

He stopped what he was doing upon sensing the Queen's magic when she entered and slowly rose to stand upright, but he didn't turn around right away as he took a few moments to regain his composure. Inside he was seething in anger over the disruptions from first the heroes who were responsible for him losing his second son, and now from the sorceress responsible for him losing what little chance he had left to rekindle his relationship with his estranged wife.

The dark haired woman looked around the room and although he had cleaned up a vast majority of the mess he created, there was still plenty of evidence of his tantrum which is why she chortled and finally spoke first saying, "Well, I've seen you angry before. I just don't believe I've ever seen you angry enough to create this kind of damage to your own things. You've always taken great care of this dust heap you call a pawnshop because you know the true value these possessions hold that can be turned against this town's heroes. Tell me, did I cause you to do all this?"

He didn't move as he answered coldly, "Leave right now. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Why don't you just wave your hand and magically repair all the damage?" she asked without any concern as though she hadn't heard his warning, then bent down over one of the cases to pull out an old book from beneath the shattered glass covering it.

"Because some of these precious artifacts are dangerous and could create an even bigger mess that neither of us want should they come into contact with the darkness," Gold replied and suddenly propelled the Evil Queen across the room as she crashed heavily into a tall bookcase that kept her from going through the wall behind her, then thrust her once again into the ceiling a few feet further away from where she was standing before and simply let her fall to the floor. "I warned you to leave. In fact, I warned you not to return until I said it was all right for you to come back."

The Evil Queen glared up at him from where she fell, then attempted to get back onto her feet until she found that she couldn't. She began to struggle against the invisible hold on her as she looked around for the source until she spotted a magical symbol that began to burn in the ceiling directly above her.

She turned back to her old teacher as she questioned angrily, "What the hell is this? Some sort of portal? Do you really think you can banish me to another realm to get rid of me?"

"Unfortunately that is not how this symbol works," the Dark One responded and then slowly began to walk around her while she remained bound. "This is simply to keep you from going anywhere long enough for me to say my piece and then… then I will set you free. Once the fire burns out the symbol is useless."

"Go ahead… I'm listening," the sorceress grumbled angrily as she kept her eyes coldly on the villain striding around her.

Rumple finally stopped moving, then he stated, "You are now. I want you to hear my voice and understand my words. I do not ever want to see you come back into my shop so long as you remain here in Storybrooke to wreak your havoc amongst the heroes, unless I invite you in. You and I are no longer allies, nor will we ever be so again. You couldn't even kill Zelena like I asked you to. And if you can't do that, then you're of no use to me. Bother me here once more, and I will make good on my threat to end you. Good or evil, there is always a way. Have I made myself clear?"

She only nodded and finally Gold flicked his wrist to snuff out the flames, then she struggled to get back onto her feet as she said curtly, "I'll admit that I didn't expect such a greeting when I came here to see you tonight."

"And why did you come back here again?" he asked in frustration when the Evil Queen spoke again. "Wait, let me guess. You came here to find out exactly what it is I've done to help Black Beard get his vengeance on Hook. Jealous that you didn't think of it first? Of aligning yourself with that pirate I mean."

"I already know that you linked their minds somehow so that Hook is seeing Black Beard's memories," the Queen answered. "You used his hand that you've kept for all these years to do it. I told you that I have eyes everywhere in this town. Including right here in your shop. If you insist, I can remove them. I just wanted to know if you can recreate the curse, only with a few tweaks."

Rumpelstiltskin watched her as she waved her hand to summon the stones she had enchanted and then planted around the shop to spy on him with while he replied, "Of course I can recreate the curse, so long as you possess something strongly connected to your intended prey. But what makes you think I'll help you after what you've done to me?"

She sighed and responded, "You're right. I was foolish to think that you would. I only wanted to remove a few memories from my sister's mind, so that she won't be so cold towards me. Zelena tries to hide her anger and act like everything's normal between us, but I know I strained our newly formed relationship when I tried to kill her. She's the only true ally I will ever have so long I stay here. I never should have given in to you. You may be the darkest of Dark Ones, but you haven't been able to defeat even the Savior's pirate and he's been your enemy for over two hundred years. Together, Zelena and I could be unstoppable, even against Emma Swan."

"If you really believe such a foolish notion, figure out a way to recreate my magic for yourself," he answered coolly. "Now get the hell out. And don't forget my warning this time."

"Can I ask you one more question?" she asked. "It's about Black Beard."

He turned his back to her as he frustratingly replied, "What now?"

The Evil Queen smiled and then responded, "Does he know yet of the consequence that comes with making this deal with you? Because I know that you certainly never warned him."


	16. Chapter 16

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Sixteen

Emma stormed into the sheriff's station and moved to stand in front of the cell that contained the villain responsible for trying to kill the man she loved. Her father, Ariel, and Leroy all came in behind her as Black Beard stood from his cot once more and stared at the blonde haired woman who looked ready to tear him apart with surprise and intrigue.

"What the hell have you done to Hook?" Emma asked angrily as soon as he was standing in front of her, and noticed that he appeared to be sweating, but simply ignored it because of her rage. "You're only too happy you've succeeded in hurting your enemy somehow and to take all the credit for what's happened to him, but we all know you didn't do it alone. I want to know who's helping you and how to break whatever curse was cast on him. Don't tell me, and you'll wish you would have been more cooperative."

"Ooo… So you're the spitfire wench who ruined my fiercest of rivals and made Captain Hook trade the one possession of his that was ever worth a salt," Black Beard responded cruelly as he sneered at the Savior and then licked his lips as if to point out that he saw Killian's attraction to her. "I can see now why he's so smitten. Just not how you've managed to turn him into such a weakling. He's gone soft. Hook would never survive being thrown back into piracy again, or even survive the world he used to sail across should you ever come to your own senses and get rid of the man who's clearly beneath you. That's why he's as good as dead now."

The Savior suddenly thrust the pirate back against the wall behind him and held him there with her powers for almost a minute as he grunted in pain from her force before she finally released him, then she wrathfully replied, "I won't tolerate you threatening him, or mocking him and I don't care about what you believe about Hook to make yourself believe that you're better than him. I only care about him. That's why I'm here dealing with the likes of you, so talk!"

He laughed as he slowly rose back to his feet and then he answered, "I'm afraid I can't do that, Savior. I wouldn't want to make it too easy for you to try to save him. And you may not be afraid to get your hands a little dirty to get what you want from me, but you won't kill me. So you're hardly a threat. However, if you set me free and allow me to enjoy Hook's suffering a little firsthand, then I might reconsider and give you something to work with."

"You can forget it," David responded firmly as he stepped in before his daughter could say or do anything more that she might regret later. "You're not going anywhere except to a more permanent prison cell when all of this is over. And we're not going to give you the pleasure of seeing Hook suffer. I wouldn't put it past you to give us information that would undoubtingly lead us nowhere."

"What about bringing me my old clothes so that I can finally go back to being Captain Black Beard, and not some boring peasant while trying to blend in to the rest of you lot here," he added in frustration. "There's no reason to hide any longer. This look just isn't me."

Ariel quickly spoke up saying, "That old look didn't do you any favors either. In fact, at least right now you look more dangerous than you did before. Much more… devious and more of a murderer we know you are."

Emma read the man's eyes while they and Ariel spoke, and upon sensing that he was lying about something she continued, "A change of clothes isn't what you really want in exchange for helpful information. You only want to see Kill… Hook suffer until he dies from what you've done. And it isn't just because you want to see him in pain either. But because you don't actually know what you've done to him and it's driving you crazy. Or rather what your accomplice has done. You're in no control if what's happening to him, are you?"

"Your other sheriff here mentioned the same thing when he came to interrogate me before with the Evil Queen," the second pirate Captain to arrive within Storybrooke replied smugly. "I only know what little they've told me. That our minds are somehow linked. How is that exactly?"

"Forget this," Grumpy stated in frustration as everyone turned to look at him. "He's of no help to us if he won't tell us who he's working for and he obviously doesn't know anything else."

Black Beard furiously shouted, "I deserve to know what my patience and own suffering has gotten me! I want to see… to see Hook de… dead!"

All of a sudden, the villain stumbled forward, then collapsed to the floor and Emma and David immediately worked to unlock to cell's door to rush inside. When they knelt down over him and turned him over onto his back, they found that Black Beard was unconscious and burning up just as Killian was.

Emma looked up at her father as she whispered fearfully, "He's sick. Call for an ambulance and get him to the hospital as quick as you can. Oh my God… I need to get back to… Killian."

Inside Emma's and Hook's home…

Killian struggled to sit up again not long after Emma and the others left to try to help him, as Belle walked back into the living room when she heard him cry out in discomfort which he was trying to hide from everyone. Even though she knew he should remain lying down, she also knew how stubborn he was and so she took a seat on the edge of the couch and helped him like he wanted by propping more pillows behind his back, then moved further down to sit beside his legs where there was more room for her to do so.

"Thank you," he said quietly while he looked into her eyes. "I promise you, I can manage on my own."

"I know you can, but you're hurting and even though you're trying not to show it, I can't just watch from across the room and ignore what I see," the beauty answered sincerely. "Also, I told Emma that I would try to get you to eat something while they're out since you haven't eaten for awhile."

August entered the room carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and glass containing a small amount of rum as he responded, "This is Granny's famous corn chowder. I thought it might be the best thing for you to eat right now. Also, the rum is to help you relax a little easier."

Killian smiled as he turned his head to their other friend and took the glass as the younger man handed it to him, then he replied, "I appreciate it, mate. I appreciate both of you being here for me. I just don't wish to be a burden."

"You're not a burden at all," Belle answered. "I appreciate that I have something I can do to help someone, rather than to just remain either onboard the Jolly Roger or at my father's wallowing in self-pity. Not that I wish for someone I care about to be in pain to help ease my own."

"Of course not," he responded while he strangely stared down at the alcohol in his hand before simply handing it back to August, who then attempted to hand the bowl of chowder down to him as well until Killian shook his head slowly to reject it and turned away from them both to stare ahead at nothing, but the couch in front of him until he finally closed his eyes again.

Belle looked up at August with worry, then turned back to Hook as she spoke again saying, "Killian, Emma and the others are going to figure out what Black Beard has done to you and then they're going to fix whatever's wrong."

Though he opened his eyes again, Killian didn't turn his head while he despondently replied, "Aye. That I don't doubt. But then there will be a next time. And we'll all have to fight against some villain to protect whoever's in danger. Again and again. I tried to assure Henry this morning on my ship that it's because we have hope and love that we can defeat any evil who threatens us, but I realize now I was only telling him what he needed to hear."

"I don't understand," the woman beside him stated in confusion as August went back into the kitchen a moment to set down the tray he was holding before returning again to his friend's side. "Are you saying you've begun to lose that hope? You've always given it to both Henry and especially to Emma when they needed to be reminded to have hope. And you have even restored hope in me at times when I really needed it. Don't you remember that time you helped me put away the books we used to help the fairies after I banished Rumple and you reminded me?"

"You were the one trying to make me feel better," he answered as he finally looked again into her eyes. "After I allowed the Dark One to manipulate me."

Belle reached out to put her hand on his arm as she responded, "You reminded me that Rumple loved me. And while he has a strange… and terrible way of showing it, I remembered then that you were right. And in many of the times we've been through difficult situations before and since then, you've always been one to encourage us all to have hope. Why have you come to lose it now?"

Killian raised his hand to grip the bridge of his nose and replied sadly, "Because now Emma has a death sentence hanging over her head and this villain from her visions could appear at any time and murder her. What if this figure under the hood manages to do so because she's trying to protect one or all of us? What if… what if she's distracted trying to protect me or one of you and is run through by that damn sword we found in Gold's shop anyways… no matter what we try… to keep her visions from coming…?"

"Are you alright?" August asked in concern when his friend suddenly gasped in pain once more as his eyes fell closed, then doubled over again while he and Belle immediately grabbed hold of him to try to help him. "Is it another memory? Try to tell us what you're seeing."

"Killian?" Emma cried fearfully when she appeared in a cloud of smoke after transporting herself home from the station unexpectedly and rushed over to the man she loved straightaway upon seeing him struggling against the newest memory threatening to consume him, then turned her head to look between August and Belle. "How long has he been like this?"

Belle shook her head as she answered, "Um… no more than a few seconds before you arrived. He had just begun to feel overwhelmed by the pain in his head while we were talking and then he doubled over."

Emma let out a breath as she laid her hands over Killian's forehead and his chest where his shirt collar had fallen open, then began to summon her healing powers to try to rid his body of the raging fever she could feel had only heightened since she had left him earlier. Just as she feared, her magic couldn't help him.

Whatever it was he was seeing, Emma knew it had to be brutal as he began to thrash against what only he could see and it was lasting longer than the other memories that had plagued him before now. With help from August, they pulled him onto the floor from the couch and laid their hands over him as she and her childhood friend struggled to keep him as steady as they could.

Finally his writhing settled as the memory from Black Beard's mind appeared to end. But when Emma laid her hand over the side of his face in effort to rouse him, his head slowly lolled to his side and his hand fell lifeless to the floor as Killian lost consciousness. Emma cried his name twice before August swiftly reached up to his friend's neck to feel for a pulse and though he could feel it was strong, it was also too fast and he knew that Killian needed the kind of help none of them, including the Savior, could give him.

He looked at the Savior with worry in his eyes, but before he could say it, he knew she understood that Killian needed more help than she could give him and Emma pulled him tightly into her arms as she said angrily, "I need to get Killian to the hospital. These memories, or whatever's happening to him is completely out of Black Beard's control. He's sick too. Belle, if there's anything you can find…"

"I'll go talk with Rumple," she quickly stated in worry. "Maybe there's something he can do to help him."

"Thank you," Emma whispered sincerely, then immediately vanished with Killian and August to get him to Dr. Whale.


	17. Chapter 17

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Seventeen

The Evil Queen returned to the farmhouse when she finally walked away from the pawnshop and found her older sister cleaning up after the other villains left, then upon hearing her enter, without turning around the Wicked Witch spoke up coldly as she asked, "So… did you manage to steal back my book from Gold? It certainly took you long enough. You missed out on dinner and our little conspiring party."

Regina's doppelganger waved her hand to make the book she had picked up at Gold's and managed to steal before he had snared her into his trap and replied, "Would you find it in your heart to forgive me if I told you that I've succeeded? I certainly hope that you, this evil Stepmother of Cinderella's, and that Count with one eye and an eyepatch plotted against these heroes well. I'm a little sorry I missed it."

"You tried to kill me because you wanted the Dark One at your side on the day when these heroes are finally defeated over your own sister," Zelena answered angrily as she slammed the plate she was holding down into the table, shattering it into pieces. "Just because he's more powerful than I am. So no, sis. You're going to have to work a lot harder if you want to regain my trust again. A lot harder. The only reason why I haven't kicked you out is because Robin seems to like having you around. And she needs at least one of her aunts."

"That isn't really the only reason why you haven't kicked me out," the dark haired woman responded, then took a seat at the dining room table again while Zelena used her magic to clean up the glass and repair the plate. "You don't want to do that because despite you being wicked, you still want your sister in your life almost as much as you want to be the best mother you can be for that sweet little girl of yours. Regina is your first choice for a sister of course, but seeing as I'm the evil part of her and the most like you, you happily accept me in your life instead. Because I actually pay attention to you."

The older woman scoffed as she raised her head to look over at her sister sitting before her and retorted, "Hardly. You only put up with me because right now you need me. You proved that when you betrayed me for Gold. Hand over my book."

The Queen did as she asked and Zelena immediately took the thick, leather bound green book within her hands, then she stated, "I haven't even opened it at all, in case you're worried I might have stolen one of your spells. Although I won't deny I wasn't tempted."

"This grimoire was given to me a long time ago, but I never found out by who," Zelena replied while she stared down at and stroked the cover making it clear that it was very valuable to her. "I found it one morning on the ground outside of my house, wrapped in brown paper. I always liked to think that perhaps it was our mother who gave it to me somehow. That is until I learned that she cared more about my sister than she cared about me. But now that I've actually met her… I might have been right. She did love me more than I thought. I'll just never know for sure."

"So how did Gold get it then?" the Evil Queen asked. "I would have thought you'd have kept it better protected it if it means so much to you."

The red haired witch glared at her sister as she answered, "Because Rumpelstiltskin stole it from me, back when he thought he killed me. All of my spells I ever cast were undone then after Regina defeated me, including the protection spell I cast on my book. It's about time I finally got it back. Perhaps now I can use it to pay the Dark One back for trying to have me killed. You're very lucky that you're my sister. Try to kill me again and we're through, blood or not."

The younger woman nodded and then responded, "You have my word, Sis. And don't worry. You will come to trust me again. I promise."

A few hours later into the evening…

After the Evil Queen left, Rumple continued to clean his shop until he finally restored everything to their original states, as all of the treasures and magical artifacts were once again on display or safely hidden away so that the heroes would never find what possessions he valued most.

Gold tried not to think anything of what his latest enemy had spoken to him about when she had come to interrupt his work again. But upon mentioning Black Beard and her curiosity as to whether or not the other pirate knew of the consequences of the deal made between them, he had to admit that his own curiosity had been peeked. He had just ignored her inquiry before as he went back to cleaning and it finally got her to leave without another word. Now he wanted to know.

He summoned his dagger into his hand and used it to open a magical window in front of him so that he could look in on Black Beard, expecting to find him still sitting within his cell at the Sheriff's station. However, he watched as David, Grumpy, the red haired mermaid, and Dr. Whale rush the pirate on a gurney into the hospital's emergency room and could see that he had become ill.

"You really should have waited until I warned you of the consequences before you agreed to my deal, pirate," the Dark One said to himself smugly as though he was speaking to Black Beard.

"It was you," Belle all of a sudden uttered in disbelief upon walking in on her husband from the back room as he spoke those words out loud and observed his dirty work through the window he forged.

Rumple spun around after he heard her voice and stared at the woman he still loved with surprise, then started to walk towards her until she immediately backed away from him while she raised her hands as if to protect herself from him as she continued, "No. Just stay back. I came here to you in hope that you could help me find out what's happening to Killian because he's my friend. And instead I discover that you're the one helping Black Beard get his revenge on him. I should have known it was you."

He took a few more steps towards her while he worryingly replied, "Belle. If you will just allow me to explain…"

"No!" she shouted angrily before he could finish pleading with her to listen. "There is nothing you can say to me that would ever help me to understand why it is you've hurt him this time. Do you have any idea how much Killian has done for me since I was awakened from the sleeping curse? Does it even matter to you at all? Killian saved my life when Jekyll tried to kill me because you trapped me onboard the Jolly Roger. He's given me a place to stay because you've ruined the love you and I shared, again and he's given me hope when there's been little to be found."

"You have no idea what it did to me to lose our son," Gold answered pleadingly as she shook her head in frustration. "I couldn't hurt you, but Hook and Emma both helped you to send him away. Then Black Beard appeared as he made his intentions to hurt the Savior's pirate known and my hate for him blinded me. Hook provoked me and…"

Belle responded, "I don't care what excuses you come up with. There is never an excuse for what you've done to him or Emma, over and over. I'm leaving so I can let Emma and the others know the truth. If you still have any good left in you at all, if you love me at all, I'm begging you to stop whatever you're doing to him and heal…"

All of a sudden, the Dark One swiftly cast a freeze spell on his wife before she could leave to tell the rest of the heroes of his involvement and began to pull out all memory of their conversation and of the moment she had walked in on, then Rumple looked into her eyes as he noticed a tear slip out while he whispered, "Forgive me, Belle. You won't remember this moment. But it still pains me to have to resort to this. They may eventually figure out I'm behind Hook's death when it happens, but I can't allow them to just yet. Not when there's still a chance they can stop it."


	18. Chapter 18

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Eighteen

At the hospital…

Nearly two hours passed by since Black Beard was brought in by David and the others after he had fallen ill while still in the jail, and Emma appeared by magic with Killian in her arms as he was also very ill. August had accompanied them, then took a seat within the waiting room beside David, Ariel, and Leroy, along with Henry and Regina who had also heard about the pirates being brought in thanks to a brief text message from David once he was able to get a hold of them.

Emma on the other hand remained standing outside of the room where Killian was brought into so that she could keep her eyes on Killian and the doctor as he tried to do all he could for the man she loved. It was the same room where David once laid in a bed while in a coma for twenty-eight years. But Emma eventually became impatient as she started to pace back and forth while she kept close to the glass doors when anger and her fear for Killian began to swell up inside of her. Everyone knew better than to encourage the Savior to do otherwise.

"Belle!" Emma called out anxiously when she noticed her friend walking in, then rushed over to talk to her. "Did Gold have anything that can help Killian? Did he have ideas what might be happening to him?"

"I'm afraid not," the beauty answered with frustration, having no memory of discovering her husband's involvement in Killian's rapid deterioration. "He says he's never heard of a spell or curse that has the power to cause whatever it is affecting Killian now, or Black Beard. I tried to explain what's been happening to him. And as you might imagine, Rumple isn't willing to come here to see their conditions for himself. He refused to help us at all. I thought that maybe by me pleading with him, it would soften his anger towards you and Killian, but…. I should have known. I'm so sorry, Emma."

The Savior rubbed her forehead wearily, then despondently she responded, "I'm sure you did all you could have done. I shouldn't have bothered to ask you to go talk to that coward after all you've been through with him yourself. I'm sorry."

Finally Whale walked out from Killian's room and Emma immediately turned to face him, as her father, son, and their friends all walked over to stand with her while she questioned the doctor eagerly, "How's Hook? Do you have any idea what might be wrong with him?"

"I've never seen anything like this before," he replied sternly. "Hook is definitely very sick and his fever's dangerously high. But there's nothing like an infected wound or a normal illness that's causing it, so I don't have any idea how to treat something I can't see. As for how he's being plagued by the other pirate's memories and how I might stop it, I can't even begin to explain how it's possible. Because it's some kind of dark magic that's inflicting him, there's nothing I can really do for him I'm afraid. All I can do now is make him as comfortable as I can and try to bring his fever down using whatever traditional drugs and treatments I have, which I'll do of course. Unfortunately, Hook's only chance at recovery is going to depend solely on you heroes."

"What about Black Beard?" David asked when his daughter stepped away from them without another word and entered Killian's room to be with him. "Is he suffering from the same effects as Hook?"

Dr. Whale shook his head as he answered, "Not exactly. I mean… in a way their effects are similar, in the sense that Black Beard is sick with a fever as well. However, the same drugs I tried giving to Captain Hook appear to be working just fine. It's as though whatever is causing all this, is nothing more than a side effect in Black Beard. His fever wasn't as high and it's going down just fine. I can't explain it. If there are anymore surprises, you'll have to wait until he wakes up before we know of anything. I'm sorry that there's nothing more I can do, at least not for Hook."

David nodded worryingly, then he looked back at him as he responded, "I know that you've done all you can. Thank you."

"We're about as helpless as Whale is," August said quietly in frustration as the doctor walked away to finish gathering the supplies and medicines he would need to continue to help his patients. "Until we figure out who's responsible for doing this…"

"Unfortunately, the Evil Queen and my sister were of no help," Regina replied when August failed to finish his train of thought. "All we really managed to do was get into another fight like we usually do. She knew I was there to accuse her of something. And I did get the sense that she knows damn well what's happened to Hook, but I don't think she is the one behind this. She only wishes she had been. She did however make all kinds of suggestions as to who might have done it. She even mentioned it could have been Zelena for all she knew."

Henry looked at his mother curiously as he asked, "Who else did she suggest?"

The dark haired woman began listing off names as she stated, "Well… Gold of course, a possible old friend of Hyde's or even Dr. Jekyll in case they wanted revenge on Hook for killing them, the Dragon in case the monk might believe killing Hook might be for the greater good for some reason, and of course an infinite number of other possibilities. Like we thought, she suggested that some unknown villain might have come over from the Land of Untold Stories with Black Beard too. Hook has made many enemies in two hundred years and any one of them could have done all of this. The Queen volunteered to help us find whoever it is, but I told her not a chance in hell and then poofed myself out of there. She's not to be trusted. Even if she was telling the truth and was honestly willing to help, she would want something in return and it would be a price that none of us would be willing to pay, or that we can pay. We just can't risk it."

"You were right not to trust her," Charming answered as he nodded in agreement.

"We could try talking to the fairies to see if they might know something that could help Killian," Leroy responded with another suggestion. "Obviously Blue isn't here, but the others are. They might at least be able to slow down the curse's effects. To buy us some more time to save Hook."

It was then that Dr. Whale walked back out as he spoke up saying, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt. And I don't usually suggest this lightly, but it might help to give you guys the time you need. If it works, which I'm not really sure that it will because of the curse he's trapped under. But I could try to placing Hook into an induced coma. If anything, it could spare him some pain."

David looked between everyone surrounding him and then he turned back to the little mermaid as he replied, "Any help that you can bring for Hook, we're more than willing to accept. Thank you, Whale. It's a good suggestion. But you're going to have to talk with Emma about this first. Anything we do medically to help Hook all needs to go through her, since he's not awake himself to make the decisions for himself."


	19. Chapter 19

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Nineteen

After leaving the hospital, David walked to the sheriff's station where he parked his old truck and then drove to Phillip's and Aurora's home to pick up his son before finally heading home to the loft to wake his wife as he said he would do so that she could be the one at the hospital to comfort their daughter.

When he walked inside carrying Neal in his arms, the Prince tossed his truck's keys onto the island in their kitchen, glanced sadly over at Snow still lying asleep in their bed, then he looked down into his son's eyes upon noticing that he was staring up at him as if the child sensed that something was troubling his father.

Charming smiled at him, then he began to speak quietly like talking any louder would wake Snow up as he said, "You may be small, but you certainly understand more of what's going on around you than any of us realize, don't you little one?"

Neal smiled too and then David continued, "Don't worry. Everything's going to be just fine. Your sister's boyfriend is in the hospital and she's very worried about him, but we're all doing everything we can to try to help him. But Emma needs a little more comfort than I can really give her right now, which is why I'm going to wake up Snow so she can be there for her instead. I'm sure that you'll be happy to see your mommy awake too, won't you? And then someday soon, we're going to find a way to break the curse on the both of us so that we don't have to keep on doing all this back and forth between our children and each other. I promise."

When he was finished, David laid Neal down in his crib and then walked back into the kitchen to make himself something to eat before he woke his wife up, while he contemplated on how to tell her everything that's happened since she had awakened him earlier that morning in one simple video message on her phone. But just as he started to eat the sandwich he had made for himself, a knock sounded at the door and when he walked over to open it, he was surprised to see Zelena standing there.

David was the first to talk as he glared at the Wicked Witch while he stood between her and the entrance into their apartment and asked, "Are you here to try to harm me or my family again?"

Zelena scoffed and then she responded snidely, "If I were, do you really think that I would have bothered to knock on your door when I arrived? I could have just poofed myself in here if that was what I wanted and I would have been able to take you all by surprise."

"I don't understand why you do a lot of the things you do," the sheriff answered in frustration as he quickly glanced back at his wife and son before turning back to the woman still standing in front of him. "With you I can never tell what your motives are. What do you want then?"

"I'm here to talk to Snow White about my sister," she replied as she gently shoved David back a few steps so that she could enter the loft without him inviting her inside, then took a seat on their couch before looking up at him again. "Either one of them in fact. I was hoping to get a little advice from her, since she understands better than anyone else here what's it's like to try to fight for some kind of relationship with Regina, evil or not. Go ahead and kiss her already. I'll wait."

David finally closed the door behind her and moved to stand over his son by way of protecting him should she go against her word and attempt to attack them, then he shook his head while he responded, "No way. We already have a lot going on right now with all that's happened to Hook. Emma's terrified for him and right now she needs Snow to be there for her. Besides, I have too much to tell Snow about and I have no idea how I'm going to since I can't actually talk to her except for by leaving her a message on her phone. She also wouldn't appreciate waking up to finding you sitting here alone."

Zelena nodded as she stated, "Now that part I certainly do understand. I am still a villain after all, or at least all of you still see me as one. But the rest of your dilemma, not so much. Just tell her that the pirate's sick and in the hospital, Black Beard is responsible along with some other unknown villain, and that Emma needs comforting. Sounds simple enough to me. If you ask me, you're just making things far too complicated for yourself."

"How did you know that Hook was in the hospital?" the sheriff questioned with suspicion as he kept his eyes on her. "Regina mentioned that she suspected the Evil Queen already knew of Black Beard's attack on Hook and that someone else is involved, which means that you must have too. But Hook was only just admitted into the hospital a couple of hours ago. Do you two know absolutely everything that's going on here in Storybrooke?"

"Look, Regina's doppelganger does do all she can to know all of the comings and goings around here, so she can figure out the next best way to hurt one or all of you," she answered sternly and then paused as her eyes softened. "The truth is, I don't really want any part of what she's doing, which is why I'm not here to hurt you. I only want to find a way to get past my anger towards Her Majesty after she tried to kill me again, and finally gain some kind of sisterly relationship that I've been waiting for my whole life. I still believe I can have it. Though I think I prefer to have it with Regina, rather than with the Evil Queen. Unless of course she's really willing to try."

The Prince sighed and finally took a seat on the couch beside the red haired woman, then he turned to her as he replied, "You're right. You really need Snow's advice and not mine. But it's like I said before. There just is much time right now. If there was anything I could say to help you… I believe that everything will work out between you and Regina. It's what our family does. We believe and we have hope. You just have to want a relationship with your sister bad enough and fight for it. And keep trying to be good. Don't let the Evil Queen influence you to go back to your wicked ways. Otherwise, you might just lose everything once and for all."

Zelena took a few moments to let his words sink in, then she looked between their son and her daughter whom she was holding within her arms and finally turned back to David again while she said, "You know, you give better advice than you think. I may still come back later to talk to Snow once all this mess of yours is settled and if she's willing, but I really do appreciate you taking a few minutes to talk."

"As for Hook…" she then added, as she was tempted to tell David the truth about Rumple being the one helping Black Beard get his revenge until she knew that it would only give the Dark One more cause to target her harder than before. "I really do hope that you can solve whatever's happening to him and stop it. Perhaps if you were to find a way to look someplace else for answers, you might find one you're looking for. Another mind perhaps? I'm afraid that's all I can really help you with."

"It might be enough," Charming spoke again and then stood up behind her after she stood to leave. "Thank you, Zelena."


	20. Chapter 20

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Twenty

Late into the night, Snow finally arrived at the hospital carrying her son in her arms and was surprised to find August sitting in a chair outside of the room where Killian was lying ill and unconscious, while Emma was sitting inside with him to remain by his side. Everyone else who had been with them throughout the day had left some time ago. She could tell that August was exhausted from the weariness on the younger man's face, but he was still awake and had his eyes on his childhood friend and the man she loved by way of watching over the both of them.

"August, what are you still doing here?" she asked quietly so as to not startle him, or disturb her daughter. "It's getting pretty late. You should be at home and in bed."

"I did leave for a bit," the wooden man child as Killian had once called him replied as he turned around to face his friend's mother as she walked over with another chair from the waiting room and took a seat in front of him. "I went with some of the others to talk with the fairies about trying to find a way to help Hook, at least to help slow down the process of whatever the curse is doing to him. Unfortunately without Blue being here, they didn't know of anything that could help him. When we left, they went separate ways while I came back here. I wanted to stay here with Emma and Hook in case they needed me for anything. I knew that David had gone home to get you so you could be here with her, but…"

Snow finished for him as she stated, "But it took him a little longer than expected. That's because he had to go pick up our son and then he apparently had some kind conversation with Zelena of all people. I wish I knew what it was about. But he only mentioned in his message that Emma was here with Killian and that she needed me. I really appreciate you being here for them, August. And I know that Emma and Killian do too. But go home. It's late. Try to get some sleep. Sadly, all of this will still be happening tomorrow too. Goodnight."

August nodded and then turned to leave as he called back, "Goodnight."

Once he was gone, Snow looked back into the hospital room, then moved closer to the glass doorway and wall in front of her in order observe her daughter while Emma sat beside Killian and rested her upper body over his as she lovingly caressed his face and chest in an effort to comfort him as well as herself the best that she could, even though her true love remained lifeless upon the bed where he lay. Hospital equipment and machines had been brought in to monitor Hook's vitals and to help him to breathe easier, as a plastic tube ran under his nose as doctors did for all comatose patients, while more tubes hung from both of his arms. As she looked at the man her daughter loved from where she remained in the hallway in silence, Snow's thoughts fell back to before the dark curse had been broken, when she used to sit with David while he too was as Hook was now.

"I don't know what it was you saw in me, Killian," Snow could hear her daughter whisper to him as she was about to enter the room until she stopped to wait a little longer for Emma to finish talking to him. "But ever since we first met, when I caught you in the lie that forced you to reveal your true… I mean your old self as I held my dagger to your throat, you've been trying to get me to fall in love with you. I never thought that someone could love me as much as you do, not after being alone for so long. And it was because of you that I was able to let go of all of my walls I held in place to keep myself from getting hurt one more time. But then you understood how I felt better than anyone ever has and ever could because you were even lonelier than I was."

"I certainly never imagined the man I would one day fall in love with would turn out to be Captain Hook," she continued after taking a few moments to collect her thoughts when her fear for him began to rise again to the surface as tears began to fall from the corners of her eyes. "A fictional storybook character whom I only ever saw in movies wearing a big red coat, a fancy hat, and a long ugly wig in order to cover up his balding head. Much like Black Beard as a matter of fact, except that he isn't balding."

Snow slowly entered the room when Emma's emotions began to overwhelm her while she kept on talking saying, "I need you to fight whatever's going on inside your head, Killian. Fight whatever's hurting you. I need you to come back to me. I promise that we will figure this out and stop whoever is helping Black Beard, but you have to stay with me because I can't lose you again. Besides, you've always been in my visions too, so you better not change my future by dying on me. Please… give me some kind of sign to let me know that you're listening."

When Killian didn't move at all and couldn't give the Savior what she was hoping for, Snow gently laid Neal down on the bed between Killian's legs, then pulled her daughter into her arms and held her tightly as Emma broke down, sobbing against her mother's chest, while Snow stated, "Shhh… It's all right, baby. Everything's going to be all right. We're not going to give up and neither will Killian. We're going to save him just as you told him we would."

"I want to believe you," Emma finally whispered after she continued to cry for a few more minutes until she finally regained her control and sat up again, then looked between her and the man she loved. "I mean I do. It's just that… I already almost lost him once this morning and I've watched him die three times before today. Four really, if you count him nearly drowning because of Zelena and Gold the day Neal was born and Zelena was defeated. Both you and Dad have had to deal with losing one another so many times in your life. How do you do it? How do I keep doing it if this is what our fates are destined to be? I have a death sentence hanging over my head and now Killian's dying again because I failed to protect him from one of his enemies? It's not fair!"

"You're absolutely right," her mother responded firmly. "It isn't fair. Do you want to know what your father said to me when I once asked him the same thing? He told me that we needed to have faith in us. That's exactly what you and Killian need too. You need to have faith in each other and one day, all of this will be over and the two of you will finally be able to live your happily ever after you deserve. I believe that with all of my heart. Do you, Emma?"

She wiped the tears from her eyes as she smiled at the other woman and then answered, "I do. I just needed to be reminded."

Snow nodded, then she replied, "Good. Now, your father has filled me in on all that's happened as best as he could within a video message on my phone. He hated to wake me up to all of this. But he knew that you needed me more. There was something else he said too, something that Zelena told him."

"Zelena?" Emma scoffed. "What does she have to do with any of this? Is she…?"

"No, she isn't the one helping Black Beard," she quickly interrupted when she knew what her daughter was thinking. "But apparently she came by to talk to him tonight looking for some advice. I'm not so sure about what, but my point is, that she actually gave your father some good advice when she told him that we should try looking inside another person's mind for answers. I didn't really understand at first what she meant until I realized that Regina only tried reading Black Beard's mind. What if you were to try to read Killian's?"

Emma sat up straighter as she looked back down at Killian again and responded, "Killian doesn't know who was helping Black Beard, but because their minds are somehow linked it's possible that somewhere in his subconscious there might be an answer. Oh God, Mom. Why didn't I think of this sooner?"

The Savior immediately moved closer to him and gently laid her hands over Killian's face, one hand on his forehead and the other over one of his temples, then concentrated as she struggled to break into his mind. After seeing nothing, but darkness for nearly a minute, Emma began to catch glimpses of the memories Killian has been and was still being tormented by from Black Beard's mind. But in the middle of it all, she also saw a flash of something else her instinct was telling her was not a part of one of the memories, that it was exactly what she was looking for.

"Emma, are you alright?" Snow asked worryingly when her daughter suddenly gasped in shock upon awakening as she pulled her hands away from Killian, then immediately grabbed hold of his hand in search of something that maybe only Emma could see. "What is it? Did you see something that can help him?"

"Son of a bitch," she said curtly after she struggled to make full sense of what she saw and then knew in her heart and mind that what she was afraid of, was true. "It was Gold. I saw glimpses of Black Beard's memories Killian's been seeing, but I also saw a flash of his hand. But it looked strange somehow. There were no rings on his fingers and there was a scar, a long scar running on the back of his hand from his thumb to his pinky."

Snow looked at Emma strangely and spoke again in confusion saying, "I don't understand. I don't see any scars on his hand."

Her daughter stood up as she answered, "No, but it's possible that the scar I saw is on his other hand."

"Which Gold is in possession of," her mother then replied upon realizing what Emma was trying to tell her. "Oh God, Emma. Listen, we need to wait until morning and talk about this with the others and then we can…"

"No!" the Savior responded angrily, then leaned down over Killian as she took his face in her hands and tenderly kissed his lips. "Killian's already suffered long enough. He's dying. And even if I were to agree to letting Dr. Whale put him into an induced coma, it isn't going to delay this curse's affects forever. I have to confront Gold now so that he can reverse whatever the hell he's done to him as soon as possible. I don't care what time of day it is or if he isn't willing to be of any help. And I don't care if I have to fight him. I will make him help Killian if I have to. Please, stay here with Killian. I don't want him to be left alone, especially now that I know who's really responsible. I can't risk anything else happening to him."

Snow looked into her daughter's eyes fearfully as she stated, "Of course. But Emma, please be careful."

Emma nodded as she turned to leave and then she answered, "I will. I promise. And Mom… thank you."


	21. Chapter 21

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Twenty-One

Gold walked into Granny's Diner even though it had gotten to be pretty late, curtly asked the older woman for a glass of scotch and a bowl of the stew she had made for the day, and then he took a seat in one of the booths furthest away from where only a few other patrons were sitting so that he could remain undisturbed, his back to the front door and windows. When Granny came over with his dinner and began to pour his scotch into the empty glass she set in front of him, Gold coldly told her to leave the bottle and to walk away. She scoffed and shook her head, then simply walked away from him without a word.

It wasn't more than fifteen minutes since his arrival, when Emma walked through the door and approached him with caution while she called out angrily, "Rumpelstiltskin!"

Without bothering to turn around, Gold squeezed the glass he was holding more tightly as he said coldly, "If you're calling me by my real name in that sort of tone, it must mean you're particularly angry with me about something, Miss. Swan. I'm guessing that you stopped by my shop and found I wasn't there…"

"Save it," she curtly interrupted him as she sat down in the booth's seat opposite to him and glared at him. "I know that you're the bastard who's helping Black Beard hurt Killian. Or rather helped Black Beard, until he too became ill. I'm guessing that was the price he's now paying for your magic? Is that all that's going to happen to him?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what it is you're talking about," the Dark One answered calmly and then continued to eat as though he had no reason to be worried about the woman sitting in front of him, not that he did worry about her or anyone else in Storybrooke. "Shouldn't you be in the hospital with your own pirate?"

Emma slammed her fist against the table in front of her as she replied more firmly, "Don't you lie to me! I was with Killian. I've been watching him deteriorate more and more over the last few hours while I've sat with him because I haven't been able to do anything else for him. And then I was told to look into his mind for answers because of his connection to Black Beard. And do you want to know what I saw? I saw an image of his hand in his subconscious. The hand that you stole from him. That's how you did this, isn't it? You didn't go after him personally. But you figured out a way to curse him through his hand because it's still a part of him, even though it's no longer attached to him. You threatened Killian the other day when we came into your shop to find out what the hell was going with you. I just didn't think anything of it until now, even though I really should have. You're the most obvious choice because of your blind hate against him. I want his hand and I want to know how to save him. Right now!"

Mr. Gold finished eating and he looked up at her for the first time, then responded, "I'm afraid I cannot give you what you want, dearie. His hand, isn't here."

"I warned you not to lie to me," she retorted. "Killian told me everything you did to him before, back when he had asked you to reattach his hand and then that you used it to blackmail him into helping you to trap the Apprentice inside that hate of yours. And how all of that was how you got to him enough so that you could rip out his heart and use him as your puppet. His hand is in here somewhere, preserved in a large glass jar for you to put it out on display for all to see and for your own sick amusement. Where is it?"

"You're the one who has the power to know when a person is lying or not," he answered snidely. "Use it, and then you'll know that I am not lying. I kept his hand as a reminder that I should have killed him long ago when I had the chance. But his hand is no longer here. I gave it to Black Beard for safekeeping back when I broke him out of jail for a little while and froze time around us so I could work without you heroes barging in to disrupt my plans. The Captain wanted revenge against his enemy and I saw he was willing to do whatever it took for him to accomplish. So I volunteered. You're right, Miss. Swan. I did threaten Hook and I meant it. I lost my wife because of the two of you and was in fear of losing my second son because Belle no longer wanted me to be a part of her life or our child's. Then Hook waltzed into my shop and had the audacity to provoke me by reminding me of the failure I was to Bae, to distract me for you. My blind hate as you say I have for your love, did indeed overpower me and I acted without remorse. And I'm still not sorry for I've done now."

Emma kept her eyes on him as she replied, "And what about what you must have done to Belle?"

When Gold's smugness vanished at the mention of Belle's name, Emma knew that her instinct telling her that Belle had discovered something earlier that evening was right and she immediately continued, "That's right. Belle came to you to ask you for help. Because she does care about Killian. I knew she must have learned something. I saw a strange look in her eyes when she came to the hospital. She said that you told her you simply wouldn't help, but I sensed there was more. What did you do to her? Erase her memory?"

"If you want to know where Hook's dead lump of flesh is now, wait until Black Beard wakes and ask him," the Dark One responded angrily as he stood up to leave. "I didn't think you heroes would learn of my involvement before it was too late to save your puppy dog, but I suppose now it no longer matters. Because he doesn't have much more time."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked with fear as she stood up, then grabbed Gold roughly by the collar of his coat. "What the hell have you done to him? Answer me!"

He sneered at her and then he answered cruelly, "I warned Hook that I wouldn't forget his role in your little distraction that day. If you really want the slightest chance of saving your pirate, then talk to Black Beard like I already told you. The rest is up to you. Good luck, Savior."

It was then that he finally vanished in his cloud of dark magic, leaving Emma standing there in shock and anger until Granny walked over to her dear friend as she reached out to push the younger woman back down into the booth and asked worryingly, "Are you alright, Emma?"

"No," Emma inaudibly replied while she stared out ahead of the woman leaning over her to try to comfort her. "No, I'm not alright. Black Beard is still unconscious and he may not even recover. That son of a bitch is going to get away with hurting Killian again and there's nothing we can ever do to stop him. He's hurt so many of us. All of us."

"It won't be forever, Emma," Granny responded sounding hopeful. "One day, even the Dark One will get what he deserves for all of the pain he's caused. It's too bad that we can't find a way to imprison him again like your parents did back in the Enchanted Forest. It's not like he hasn't been given plenty of chances to be the good man that Belle once believed him to be. But then again, maybe one day you will break through to him and he'll be a hero yet. Right now, go back to the hospital and be with Hook. Save him as you always do. If I know you can do it, then I'm sure as hell know that you do too. Make Gold pay by thwarting his plan."


	22. Chapter 22

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Twenty-Two

Black Beard slowly awoke and immediately felt the worst pain within his head that he's ever felt. He groaned and screamed with anger for almost a minute before the pain subsided enough for him to be able to move, then open his eyes and upon doing so, he began to look all around him and found himself standing in nothing, but thick, black fog until it finally disappeared. Once it was gone, Black Beard found himself again in Storybrooke. Only the sky was strange and everything appeared to be rundown, while some of the structures such as the clock tower were even torn down or demolished. When the pirate fell out of the shock of the sight now surrounding him, he started walking forward and realized that the one thing he didn't see were the people living there.

"What the hell is this foul, dismal place?" he shouted angrily while he continued moving, not really expecting anyone to actually answer him at all. "Where the devil am I?"

"I hate to break it to you, mate, but I'm afraid that you're in the bloody Underworld," Killian suddenly responded as he stepped out from within what looked like the diner Black Beard remembered the heroes always eating at in the realm he was in before everything began to become strange, then stopped and stood before his enemy. "And it appears, so am I… again."

The villain stared at him in surprise as he replied, "Hook? I assumed you'd be back in your home writing in agony and sick as a dog. Your wench came to see me in that jailhouse, in town. She begged me to help her save you. I saw the fear in her eyes, so how is it that you're standing here, in perfect health."

Killian took a few more steps towards the villain as he answered angrily, "Oh, I'm hardly in perfect health no thanks to you. You trapped me inside my own mind, while I'm forced to relive your memories. Although apparently something's gone wrong with the curse you created and whoever's helping you… the Crocodile I gather. Or maybe it's that something's gone right and this is what the Dark One intended all along."

"I don't understand," Black Beard stated in confusion. "What are you saying exactly?"

"I'm saying that it appears my memories have now begun to mix in with yours, except that because this is the price you're paying for making his deal, we're now able to see them as ourselves, and together," Hook responded coldly, then he sighed in frustration and struggled to try to make sense of everything. "At least that's what I gather, although I'm not so sure. All I know, is that this is the Underworld because I've been here. And I'd wager that it won't be long before a memory or two of my own will arise."

 _Just like Killian predicted, their surroundings suddenly changed around them as both he and Black Beard found themselves someplace different while a new memory of Killian's began from when he was chained up over the green pool he came to know as the River of Lost Souls and was risen above it, then Hades walked on the platform below as he spoke up saying smugly, "Now, I want you to think about why you're here. You tried to escape. You freed another prisoner. You refuse to do what I ask, and do you know the most important reason?"_

When the memory began, both Killian and Black Beard suddenly doubled over in pain as though what they were seeing was happening to the poor sod above was happening to them also, while Killian stared up at the bloody form of the broken man he had become after he had died sadly as he whispered, "Bloody hell. Not this… Not again."

 _While he strained and struggled to breathe through the pressure within his back and chest from the rusted old chains that were holding him captive, Hook responded weakly, "I couldn't begin to guess."_

 _"Hope," the God of the Underworld replied when he looked up at his prisoner and then continued. "You and your colleagues brought contraband, hope, into my world, and that is strictly forbidden. And despite some... creative beatings, I still see hope in your eyes. Now, I would like that to be gone before you reach the water."_

 _"You have interfered with my carefully cultivated existence," Hades sneered as he lowered Hook down again with his magic so that Killian was eye-level with him, causing the hero to groan in pain. "So... I am going to hurt you. Then I'm going to collect your friends and hurt them. So there's going to be no one left to save you."_

 _"Feel free to go mad,"_ _the God added finally when his head then became engulfed again in blue flames as he prepared to walk away from his prisoner._

Once Hades faded from view, Killian turned away quickly in order to walk away from the image of himself hanging high above the green waters as he made his way through the caverns below Storybrooke above them, while Black Beard immediately felt relief upon his enemy's departure, then he glanced at the other pirate Captain now in front of him as multiple questions came to his mind and followed after him while he asked snidely, "What the devil was that? I just felt your agony while you were chained up like that and hoisted above that water. Who was that glowing haired villain torturing you? You're saying that actually happened?"

Hook shook his head in frustration and without turning his head to look at him, he answered wearily, "Aye. That actually happened. Welcome to the Underworld. I died and my soul became trapped down here until Emma and her family came down to rescue me. That glowing haired villain tormenting me was Hades, God of the Underworld. He's dead now, thank goodness. As for your first question, it's none of your business what any of that meant. At least you finally get to feel what I've been feeling all this time too. I've dreamt of moments like this enough when I sleep. I don't need to see it come to life again right before my eyes with one of my enemies here to bloody watch!"

"I don't think anyone's listening to your complaints," the other man behind him responded upon realizing that the last comments he made weren't meant to be directed towards him.

"I didn't ask for your judgement or… or… or for your opinion, so just be quiet and leave me be to try to think of a way we can both… escape this… hell!" Killian vehemently retorted as he stiffly kept moving until all of a sudden he became lightheaded again and collapsed against the cavern wall beside him, putting his hand up to squeeze the bridge of his nose upon becoming overwhelmed by his anguish that hasn't subsided nearly as much as Black Beard's had some time ago.

The other pirate didn't make a move to help him, but he questioned, "What's wrong with you? Why is it that you're so much worse off than I am? I may be feeling ill as well, but I'm clearly not as bad off as you appear to be. Is it because you were the one of us who was cursed?"

Hook shook his head as he scoffed and then replied, "I don't know. Perhaps it's because you're actually proud… proud of the things you've in your life and have no regrets. I on the other hand do… and the memories you've forced me to relive, both yours and my own… does pain me."

"Besides, you've said it yourself," he added once he was able to stand taller, then turned his head to look over at his enemy. "I was the one who was cursed, thanks to you. I have a feeling that you will discover a way out of our minds faster than I will."

All of a sudden, their surroundings changed once again and the hero and villain found themselves back on the Jolly Roger among a large crew of pirates and women as they were all celebrating some victory with rum, gambling, and wenching shortly after they arrived at one of Arendelle's few ports. The transformation caused Killian to fall to the floor of the ship as a wave of dizziness passed over him again. Black Beard stared down at him almost gaily until they were both interrupted from their thoughts as they turned to watch as another form of Black Beard walked up on deck from the Captain's quarters to join the rest of his crew.

"It appears we've arrived in yet another one of your memories," Killian spoke again despondently. "What exactly am I going to be forced to see here?"

His enemy replied smugly, "You really don't want to know. What a shame that you'll have to see and feel it firsthand for yourself."

A few minutes later, after he played a quick round of cards with the ship's navigator and first mate, the villainous Captain then walked out into the center of the deck and called out drunkenly, "All right…! Which one of you wenches is next… to lie down with the great, Captain Beard Black? I mean… Black Beard? I promise you, I don't bite. But I can be rough."

"Right here, Captain!" one of his men hollered out eagerly as he pulled a woman who had been standing behind him out in front of him, then pushed her onto the floor at Black Beard's feet. "She's sure to give you the pleasure you're looking for tonight. She's plenty ripe."

"Is that right?" he sneered coolly as the woman nervously stared up at the Captain with fear in her eyes, while Killian was forced to watch the horror he thought he knew was coming begin to play out. "Is this true, darling? It looks like I'm… going to just have to fin… find out."

He roughly grabbed the woman by one of her wrists and dragged her along with him as they made their way back down into his quarters, then shoved her hard onto the bed inside. The real Black Beard standing over the weakened Hook, grabbed his nemesis by his shoulders as he led them after those in the memory. At first, she tried to escape from the Captain who was about to rape her, but Black Beard was easily able to apprehend her once more and threw her against the wall, then again to the floor. After that, she remained completely still as she sobbed as quietly as could so as to not upset the villain any further.

Hook immediately turned his head away and closed his eyes tightly when his enemy slowly began to undress knowing there was nothing he could do to stop what wasn't real, but even if he didn't watch what the pirate was about to do to the poor woman, Killian also knew that he couldn't stop himself from feeling all that both Black Beards had already started to feel and was about to once he began. Glee, pleasure, and a twisted sense of pride. It all made Killian feel sick, on top of the anguish his body was already suffering from.

Black Beard had undressed until all he had left to pull off was his undershirt. But before he finished, he moved to stand above the woman again and roughly yanked off the already torn blouse she was wearing as she immediately raised one of her hands and arm in attempt to cover her nakedness. He swiftly slapped her across her cheek to punish her for her insolence, then was about to rip off her long skirt as well when all of a sudden, she pulled out a dagger she had concealed behind her back and plunged it with all her might deep into the villain's shoulder, causing both Black Beards and Killian to cry out in agony from the wound.

The man from the vile pirate's memory looked down at the blade still embedded in his now bleeding flesh and saw that it was one of his own blades he realized she must have stolen from him before he undressed and she was close enough to him to do so. But before he had the chance to pull it out and stumble backwards to get away from her, the poor woman swiftly yanked the dagger back out herself and was about to thrust it into him again, this time in Black Beard's chest to kill him. However, a single shot sounded from behind them all as Hook, Black Beard, and his memory all turned to look for the source of the shot and saw the first mate standing in the doorway with a smoking pistol raised in his hand, still aiming it directly at the whore now lying dead at Black Beard's feet with a musket ball lodged in her heart.

The first mate quickly rushed to his Captain's side to help guide him over to his bed and to lie down as he asked worryingly, "Captain! Are you alright, Sir?"

The real Black Beard seethed as he answered his crewman over his other self, "How the hell do you think I am, you bloody bastard?"

"Let me help you!" the man quickly continued. "Don't worry, I'll fetch the crewman who knows little on how to treat a wound like yours. Just hold on."

"I don't exactly have much of a choice!" his memory shouted angrily as the first mate left the room to go get the men he needed to help their Captain.

The man of Black Beard's memory groaned and then screamed again when his pain only worsened, as did both Killian's and the real pirate's pain. But before anything else happened, the quarters finally altered once again and the two men sharing memories found themselves in a new setting neither of them recognized at first. Both of them were on the ground feeling the agony of the wound while they clutched at their shoulders, until Killian pulled away the cloth of his shirt and discovered that no wound was actually there, just as there were no wounds, bruises, or broken ribs from the former memory they relived. At least not any longer. Hook looked beside him at Black Beard again, then to their surroundings and realized the realm where their next memory was found in, was the Land of Untold Stories.


	23. Chapter 23

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Twenty-Three

Meanwhile…

Like she promised her daughter, Snow remained in the hospital with Killian to watch over him for her. With it being late into night… early morning really, the hospital was eerily quiet as most of the staff had gone home. Only Dr. Whale and the two fairies working as nurses under him stayed on duty. However, they kept themselves busy with their other patients and additional work. Snow occupied her time by talking and playing with Neal after having been asleep all day and by talking to the unconscious man whom she knew would one day become her son-in-law as Emma had done for him earlier, like she had done for her husband during the days of the dark curse.

Snow picked up her son again after Emma left to confront the man responsible for hurting Killian, holding Neal in her arms for awhile as he played with his mother's fingers and laughed when she tickled him and made funny faces and noises. Eventually his attention was drawn to Hook and his mother sat him up in her lap, then turned Neal around to face outward so that he could better see the man lying in the bed before them.

Neal reached out and patted Killian's hand before he began to play with the rings he wore, then Snow spoke to him saying quietly, "You know Killian very well, don't you? You love playing with him whenever we go over to visit with your sister because he makes you laugh sometimes even better than your father and I can."

Neal looked up at his mother for a moment as he smiled and laughed, then he turned back to playing with his hand while Snow continued, "Killian enjoys telling you stories about his many adventures, minus the scary parts of course. And I'm sure that you'll have a lot of fun with him when you grow a little older as he takes you out on the Jolly Roger to teach you all about sailing and navigating the stars just like he did for Henry too."

"He's going to be just fine as soon as your sister takes care of the bad men who hurt him," she said again when Neal began to reach out to try to touch Killian's face, then patted his cheek and arm as if he was trying to wake him up.

"I really hope that you prove me right, Killian," the Princess whispered when she turned her eyes to his face. "Emma needs you. In fact, we all need you. You're a part of our family and you have been for a long time now. You don't really think we would all travel to the Underworld for just anyone, do you? My husband might not be so quick to admit it, but even he thinks of you as a brother too. I'm certain of it. Though when you someday marry our daughter, which I don't doubt that you will, you'll actually become our son. That just seem strange to me, but… I guess it is what it is. Keep fighting, Killian. Please…"

Before she could finish, the machines surrounding them began to wail as Snow immediately grabbed Neal to pull her son away from Killian and took a few steps back in fear when his body suddenly seized. His face then scrunched up in pain as drops of blood began to trickle down from his nose, while more blood seeped out from a deep wound in his shoulder, a wound that mysteriously appeared because of the curse.

After she snapped out of her shock upon seeing the man her daughter loved when his condition took a dangerous turn for the worst, Snow screamed for help while Whale rushed into the room and over to Hook, then the doctor began to work on him as he momentarily glanced back at her asking, "What exactly happened? The blood… How was he stabbed?"

The Princess looked at him with surprise as she stated, "Stabbed? I don't… Killian wasn't stabbed. He's just been lying here still unconscious while I was talking to him and my son. No one has been in here, but us except for Emma who left a short time ago. How could he have been stabbed, not to mention everything else unless…"

"Unless it was Gold's curse that caused this," she added when it donned on her that it was likely he was being attacked in one of Black Beard's memories somehow. "How bad is it? Can you stop it?"

"I told you all before, I've done the best that I can," Whale replied curtly as he finished cutting away the cloth of the hospital gown the nurses had changed him into when he was first brought in that was covering the wound, clamping his other hand over the wound in order to stifle the blood flow until he struggled to get a better look at it. "As far as I can tell, the wound is deep. I think I can patch it up, or I will the best that I can. But Snow, I don't know how much longer he can hold on. I may still be able to place him into an induced coma to try to help him a little more, but Emma was already afraid of him not coming back out of it and his chances now have definitely diminished."

All of a sudden, Emma rushed into the room upon seeing the doctor standing over Killian and raced to his side, then she saw the blood that was now covering his chest and shoulder as she fearfully cried out, "What the hell happened? Killian!"

Snow held Neal in one arm, while she reached out with the other to try to pull her daughter back and then answered worryingly, "He's getting worse. The curse has done this somehow… whatever's happening to him. It's like he's being injured by what he's seeing in the memories. But of course I don't really know. Did you find out what you needed to know to save him from Gold?"

The nurses then rushed into the room to assist the doctor with helping Killian and Snow once again pulled Emma back until they were both out of the room altogether so that the medical staff could work without them being in the way. The Savior didn't really fight her, but she refused to turn away as she kept her eyes on Killian's still form the best she could despite those helping him blocking her view.

"Emma, did you hear me?" Snow tried asking her daughter again even though she could tell that she was in greater shock than she had been moments ago. "Hey… hey… Look at me. It's going to be all right. Emma, just focus on me."

"What did you find out from Gold?" her mother asked once more when Emma finally turned away and looked into her eyes.

Emma breathed in heavily and let it out, then she finally responded angrily, "He told me we need to talk to Black Beard. Gold gave Killian's hand to him so that we wouldn't be able to find it. Is he any closer to waking?"

Snow shook her head, but Whale walked out from the room after he managed to stabilize Hook once again and allowed the fairies to take over for him as they worked to bandage the wound, then having heard Emma ask about the other pirate, he spoke up saying, "The pirate's fever broke about forty minutes ago, but he's still unconscious. And just before I ran in here to help save Hook, something very similar happened to him. The strange thing is that there was no wound in his shoulder where his blood was seeping from. He's only lost a lot of blood. Hook and Black Beard are definitely being effected by what they're seeing, but the affects to their bodies are different, for some reason that I still don't understand. Black Beard's getting stronger, while Hook is only worsening. But Black Beard needs time to…"

"Killian doesn't have time!" Emma shouted as she brusquely cut the doctor off. "Not if all this is happening to him. And I won't let him continue to suffer if there's something more I can do to save him. You said Black Beard's going to be fine. Surely there's something you can give him… a drug that will wake him so he can tell us where he's hidden Killian's hand."

"His hand?" the man stated strangely as he looked between the two women still standing in front of him. "Oh, you mean his missing hand? I wondered how Rumpelstiltskin was doing this. Look, normally I wouldn't agree with waking anyone before their bodies and minds were ready to wake on their own. However, because these are extenuating circumstances and he's Hook's only chance to survive, I'll do it. I do have something. He'll be pretty out of it at first and maybe for a little while afterwards, but eventually you should be able to wake him enough to answer your questions. I'll go get what I need."

After Whale walked away from them, Emma turned back to Killian and made a move towards the room again so she could be with him, but Snow put her hand gently on her daughter's shoulder to try to hold her back as she whispered, "The fairies need room to work so they can finish helping him. We're going to save him, Emma. I know you've been told this, God knows how many times since this all began, but… Killian is strong and the love the two of you share is even stronger. Have hope. Believe in him."

Emma nodded as another tear spilled down her cheek again and then she said despondently, "I do believe in him. I always will."


	24. Chapter 24

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Twenty-Four

"You are such a bloody bastard!" Killian castigated his enemy angrily through his agony while he struggled to get back to his feet again using the wall of the corridor they found themselves in to help.

"I told you that you wouldn't want to know what I was about to do," Black Beard sneered as he too struggled to stand again through the dizziness he felt from the change of the memories they were trapped within, though like before his pain didn't last long and he was able to get back to his feet much easier than Hook was able to. "That wench would have given me the pleasurable experience I sought from her, had I not been foolish enough to let her close enough while I was still fully dressed to steal my dagger. She deserved what she got for trying to kill me."

Hook growled in frustration and finally managed to stand as he clung to the wall for support in order to remain on his feet, then answered, "A shot to her heart. You really believe that's what she deserved when you tried to force yourself on her against her will?"

Black Beard glared at his enemy as he responded cruelly, "That wench was nothing more than a bloody whore who tried to kill Captain Black Beard. She had no will of her own. Those women did whatever I demanded of them, or my men. So yes, Hook. A shot to her heart was exactly what she deserved because I said so. Now, where are we now? And why do whatever memories that arise keep coming on faster and faster?"

"It appears that we're back in the Land of Untold Stories," the heroic pirate replied weakly as he continued to look around them in trying to determine what memory he was about to be reminded of. "This appears to be the large mansion that belonged to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde while they were still here. I'm guessing that you were never imprisoned by Hyde while you were here? Because I was, along with Emma's parents and the Wicked Witch. Shortly after Hyde tried to take over Storybrooke, I killed him. Or rather I killed Jekyll, which coincidentally killed Hyde as well when the good doctor attacked one of our friends. I hoped I would never find myself back here again."

"And the memories?" Black Beard stated again.

Killian shook his head in trying to relieve his pain if only a little and then he answered, "I told you… I don't know any more about what's happening to us than you do. But if I had to wager a guess, I would say it's… because the curse I'm under is getting closer… to reaching its end. I suggest you pray you can get out before that happens."

The villain scoffed and looked around them as well and then he responded, "Well I don't recall ever being in a mansion or wherever the hell we are. Only within the strange provenance out there I suppose. So are we trapped in one of your memories again?"

"Aye," he replied nervously upon seeing Hyde appear in the corridor before them, then followed after him as they entered the very room where the first doppelganger had once held him and his friends' prisoners within the cage that inhibited Zelena's magic while they were here before. "Hyde very nearly killed me in this moment. Had it not been for David and Snow preventing Hyde from… Prepare yourself for more pain."

 _"_ _There you are," Hyde suddenly spoke as he within the darkness of the room, while Killian and Black Beard remained quiet once Hook's memory here began to play out. "The prisoners who attacked my groundsman."_

 _David tried to defend himself, his wife, and friends standing beside him inside as he retorted, "No, no, no. We didn't attack anyone. This is just a big misunderstanding. We just want to know where we are."_

 _Hyde slowly began to walk towards them as he answered coldly, "All you need to know is that you don't want to be here, and that you're the ones who are going to be answering my questions. Like why are you really here?"_

 _"We just want to go home," Snow responded._

 _"You must think me so naïve," he continued as he stepped forward again and took the steps up to the cage. "I know you're lying. I know who really sent you. So tell me... what does the Dark One want?"_

 _Killian watched himself step out from the others, then stand directly in front of the villain as he asked darkly, "You know the bloody Crocodile? Who are you? What do you really want?"_

 _The sinister man suddenly grabbed the form of Hook within the memory the real hero and villain were trapped in by his throat and began to squeeze tightly in order to strangle him as David immediately fought to help Killian within the cage by pulling against Hyde's arm, while Hyde retorted again, "Don't lie to me."_

 _"He's too strong," David uttered sternly and continued to try to pull Hyde off of his friend when both forms of Killian and Black Beard all gasped for air as they struggled to breathe through the pain._

 _"Look, we get it," Snow said curtly as she moved a few feet closer as if to intimidate the monster. "You're powerful. But killing him isn't gonna change the truth, which is that we don't work for Rumpelstiltskin. He's our enemy. He's the whole reason we're here. He tried to steal magic from our town to…"_

Before the memory was finished, Killian suddenly collapsed to the ground in pain like many times before as his surroundings faded into darkness and the strong grip over his throat disappeared. He found that he was finally able to breathe again, although it was a struggle for him to do so. And when he turned his head in search of Black Beard, who had been struggling beside him moments ago, the other pirate appeared to have vanished as well and Killian was left all alone within the darkness as he felt himself slowly beginning to lose consciousness.

Meanwhile...

Black Beard gasped awake and immediately began to struggle to get air back into his lungs while in the distance he could hear someone calling out to him as they were telling him to breathe and to try to focus on their voice. Everything was blurry so he couldn't see those that surrounded him and his entire body was stiff making it impossible for him to move.

Finally, the pirate was able to distinguish one voice from the rest of the noise surrounding him, then turned towards it and was able to see a blond haired man wearing a white lab coat standing above him while he spoke up saying, "It's going to be all right, Captain. You're finally back with us again. You're still going to be ill for a few days, but you're going to recover just fine. My name is Dr. Whale and you're currently being treated in a hospital in Storybrooke. Do you remember where you are?"

It was then with fear in her voice that Emma asked, "What happened to you? What's happening to Killian?"

"Miss. Swan, I need you to try to have patience," Whale sternly replied as he glanced over at her, then turned back to the villain still struggling to awaken from the haze that clouded his mind and vision. "Can you see me, Captain Black Beard? Do you understand that you're going to be alright, that you're safe here?"

"Hoo… Hook?" he stuttered weakly while he turned his head to look all around him in search of something or someone who wasn't there. "Where's… Where am… I?"

Snow stepped forward into his line of sight and then she answered, "You're in Storybrooke. And while the doctor here says you're going to be fine in a few days, you're also going to be in a new prison cell. You won't be getting away with the harm you've caused our friend and the man my daughter loves."

Still inside Killian' mind…

Killian slowly began to come to as his anguish throughout his body and the recollections of all he's been through since Black Beard appeared before him onboard the Jolly Roger, all came flooding back to him. As he struggled to clear his mind and fight off the ache still pounding in his head, someone's face suddenly appeared over him.

Through his haze, Killian couldn't make out who she was, only that the face belonged to a woman as he could hear a female's voice calling out to him. All he could really see was her long red hair. That is until he heard her call out his name, only she spoke a name that wasn't his own.

"Captain Black Beard?" she whispered worryingly. "Captain, are you feeling alright?"

"You're… Captain Hook's wench," Killian thought he heard himself mutter with confusion, then realized he was trapped within another one of his enemy's memories when he looked down at the two hands holding his upper body after he struggled to sit up, as well as the red coat, and saw it was really Black Beard who awoke to find Ariel kneeling over him with concern, but that he was again seeing the villain's memory play out through his own eyes. "The one searching for her Prince? You're a mermaid?"

Ariel ignored the pirate's jibe as she immediately forced a blade to his throat and then responded, "That's right. And I just saved your life. Not because I care that Captain Hook just tried to kill you, but because I need you alive so you can tell me where my husband is. You owe me your life. So talk, pirate. Where is Prince Eric?"

Hook heard himself speak in Black Beard's voice as he replied, "Perhaps we can come to an arrangement after all."


	25. Chapter 25

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Twenty-Five

When Black Beard reawakened sometime again early the next morning, he blinked several times to clear his vision in order to get a better look at his surroundings, believing that he was once again trapped within another memory. The sunlight coming into the room through a large window beside him made it difficult, but once he was able to see well enough, he found that he was lying within a large bed with bars on the sides, while tubes had been attached to his arms and what appeared to be strange boxes with blinking lights beeped around him.

He attempted to raise his hand in order to rip out the tubes, but immediately discovered that his right wrist was cuffed to one of the bars on the bed and attempted to break free while he angrily called out, "What the devil happened? Where am I? I demand answers!"

Within a few minutes after the prisoner started hollering, David finally walked into the room, followed by Emma, August, and Regina, who moved to stand in the back of the room behind the others in order to let them talk to Black Beard first. Emma was about to say something until her father placed his hand gently on her shoulder to keep her from doing so for now, then spoke for her instead.

He moved around to the right side of the pirate's bed and said steadily, "You're in the hospital still here in town, just like you were when you first woke up a few hours ago. You became pretty sick for a little while, but Dr. Whale said you're going to be fine. It appears you've suffered nothing more than a side effect of the curse taking its course, while it took a hell of a toll on Hook."

"What I saw and felt was more than just some bloody side effect, Sheriff," Black Beard responded curtly, then wriggled the cuffs again as if to bring them to David's attention. "It was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. Why am I lying here chained to this bed?"

"Because you're still a prisoner," Emma answered in frustration. "You won't be going anywhere. It's no less than you deserve for what you've done."

August reached out and pulled her back before his closest friend's temper could get the better of her while David continued, "You're pretty lucky though. Our doctor said that you would have died had you remained trapped inside your mind with Hook. But Whale gave you something to pull you out, so we could save your life. You were barely breathing when we did."

Black Beard then became smug as he looked between the two sheriffs and asked, "And what about Hook? Is he dead yet then?"

"Hook wasn't as lucky as you," Emma sadly replied. "He's still alive, but he's struggling to hold on. He was barely breathing like you, until his body finally stilled. It wasn't long after that when he began to spit up water that had magically filled up in his lungs as if he was drowning. But he was able to recover from that as well. Whether it was thanks to Dr. Whale or not… I don't know. The point is we haven't been able to save him yet. But at least we know who helped you to curse Hook in the first place, Rumpelstiltskin. We just need to know where you hid Hook's missing hand."

"Forget it," the villain sneered cruelly. "I won't help my oldest enemy escape from the hell he's trapped in. I came here to see Hook dead and now, he finally will be. As for your prison, I've been in a number of brigs in fact. Yours doesn't scare me, wench."

Emma looked over at her father and August again, then finally turned her head to Regina as she too stepped forward to approach the bed while she locked eyes with the Savior who only nodded and the former Evil Queen turned to Black Beard as she responded, "We figured you'd say something like that. Which is why we've come up with a new way to get you to talk. Tell me, Black Beard. Have you felt anything off since you woke up? I mean, you're still recovering of course, but… Does your left arm feel a little strange to you, or surprisingly in a bit of pain?"

Black Beard immediately glanced down to where his hand was resting on the bed upon feeling the sudden pain the dark haired woman just spoke of begin to flare up and discovered that his hand was gone, cut clean off by the sword that Regina was now holding in her hands as she raised it up for him to see as if to taunt him with it.

He struggled harder against the handcuffs while the pain only continued to worsen and he screamed angrily shouting, "What have you done to me? You cut off my hand, witch!"

"That's right, I did," Regina answered proudly, then tossed the sword over to David, who caught it easily. "Just as Rumpelstiltskin did to Hook over two hundred years ago. We warned you to tell us what we wanted to know to save our friend. Now you've left us no choice, but to carry out your punishment for hurting him and maybe even killing him. You better hope that doesn't happen. I can restore your hand if you want it back. It'll be just like new and you won't feel a thing. All it takes is a bit of magic on my end."

"You just need to tell us where you've hidden Hook's hand," David continued sternly. "If not, you'll be sent back to the Enchanted Forest once we find a way to get rid of the protection spell around our town that's been keeping us all trapped here."

August cut in saying, "You'll be forced to sail the oceans, to pillage and plunder as another one handed pirate. People will laugh at you and mock you, saying you're trying to be just like your arch nemesis, Captain Hook."

Emma finally chimed in as well as she stated, "Like you've told Hook in the past, you're not much of a pirate or a man with only one hand and a stub."

"Perhaps we could give him a hook of his own," Regina added. "Cutting off his hand and letting him go to fend for himself in the wilds of the open seas should be plenty harsh I think."

"Whatever it is you heroes want to know!" Black Beard finally snapped angrily. "I will tell you. I'll tell you where it was that I buried Hook's hand. I placed it inside a small chest that I purchased from the Dark One's shop after he told me to take it and hide it, then I buried it down on the beach by an old chunk of driftwood I found embedded into the sand near the cliffs. I marked it so that I would easily be able to find it again before I left this cursed land for good. I wanted a souvenir to take back with me in order to prove to all other pirates and sailors that it was I who killed Captain Hook."

Emma glared at him as she used her gift to sense if he was lying and when she saw that he was speaking the truth, she turned to leave until the villain called out to her shouting, "Do you really think that you can save him now just because you'll find it? He's dying, Savior. And you can't stop it. You have no idea what kind of hell he's trapped in."

She froze with fear for a moment without turning around to face anyone until August stepped up behind her and placed his hand down on her shoulder gently like before as a way to reassure her that everything was going to be all right, then together the two of them walked out of the room to go in search of Killian's hand needed to save him.

Once they were gone, Black Beard said again, "I told you lot the truth about where to find his hand. Now give me back mine! We had a deal, witch."

"Call me witch one more time and I'll take your hand for real no matter what kind of deal we made," Regina countered in frustration and with a wave of her own hand, his suddenly reappeared as though it was never gone to begin with because it never really was.

"This was all some bloody trick?!" Black Beard angrily cried out.

While he fought to stifle a laugh, David replied, "Of course it was a trick. A simple cloaking spell over your hand from Regina, along with the power of suggestion to induce the pain you were feeling was all it took. You said it yourself, pirate. We're heroes. We never would have cut off your hand for real. But now you've had a chance to understand a little of how it feels for Hook every day since he lost his. My gut tells me that you'll never change and remain the same bastard of a pirate you've always been, which is why we'll be seeing you later to escort you to your new prison cell beneath this hospital, where you'll remain for a long, long time. Feel better, Black Beard."

The pirate shouted, "Not bloody likely!"

When they finally finished their business with Storybrooke's latest villain, David and Regina both turned to leave the room as Whale walked back in to check on his patient. Until Emma and August returned to the hospital with Killian's hand, the Savior's father and the town's Mayor then entered their friend's room again so they could watch over him while they were gone.


	26. Chapter 26

X Marks the Spot

Chapter Twenty-Six

Down on the beach, Emma and August searched the sands all around the cliffs for any sign of the driftwood where Black Beard buried Killian's hand. Unfortunately there were pieces of driftwood, debris, and even tree branches scattered all across the beach and finding the right place wasn't as easy as they hoped. Emma was growing more intolerant with the entire situation the longer it was taking for her to find the burial spot, and even more weary.

"I think I found it!" August finally shouted to Emma from several feet away, then knelt down where he was standing in order to get a closer look. "It's here!"

"Does the ground look like it's been disturbed?" she cried out anxiously as she came running over as fast as she could to join him.

August nodded as they glanced one another when she knelt down beside him, then he turned back to the driftwood and upon looking closer at the marking carved into the wood, he stated with surprise, "Huh… What do you know? X marks the spot. I'll admit that I didn't really expect him to mark the wood with an X. It's not very original."

Emma replied, "No, but it is definitely a pirate way of marking a buried treasure."

The Savior then used her powers to unearth the chest buried deep within the sand before them and once they were able to dig it up, Emma's hands began to shake as all of the stress of Killian falling under a curse that was killing him and finally being able to find what could save him came back to the surface.

August uttered her name softly and she breathed in, then let out a sigh of relief. She used her magic again to break open the lock protecting what was inside, then when she opened the box, Killian's hand laid inside with his palm facing down and Emma was able to see the old scar she had seen within the flash of her vision running from its thumb to its pinky.

"It's time to end this once and for all," she whispered sadly while she traced the scar with her fingers. "I'm getting Killian back."

Back at the hospital…

"So, how exactly are we going to remove Gold's curse?" Emma asked the former Evil Queen as they, David, August, Henry, Ariel, and Dr. Whale all stood inside Killian's room nervously, while the other heroes waited nearby.

Regina turned her head and looked at her with concern as she responded, "I'm afraid I can't just remove whatever Gold's done to his hand, Emma. I have to break the curse from both his hand and Hook himself. And if you're hoping I can come up with some kind of spell to reattach it for him so that Hook will no longer have to wear what gave him his moniker and that brace over his arm, it's not possible."

The Savior stared at Regina as she said in confusion, "I don't understand. Why can't you? Gold was able to restore it once. And Zelena reattached her own when she cut hers off in front of Killian before you guys came to Camelot to find me."

"Yes, but they only did so with dark magic," she retorted coolly. "The magic Gold used to give Hook his hand back before, came from him being the Dark One. Everything is pretty much possible with his kind of power, short of bringing someone back from the dead of course. I mean, it was how he was able to curse Hook's hand the first time. Besides, that magic always comes with a price. We all know that. And in this case, Hook would be the one to suffer that price. Believe me, you don't want to use that kind of magic even to help the man you love."

"What about reattaching his hand through medical means?" Emma questioned again when she turned to the doctor standing in the background in case he was needed again.

Whale shook his head as he picked up the hand to examine it further, then answered with frustration, "I sorry, but I can't help him either, Miss. Swan. His hand is dead and I mean completely dead, just as it's been for the last two hundred years or so. Honestly, I'm amazed that it's so well preserved as it is, no thanks to Gold's magic I'm sure. It's like a person in the sense that not even magic, or science, can restore life to one who's been dead for so long. Believe me, I understand this firsthand. I am Dr. Frankenstein after all. I'm afraid there's just no way your Captain here is ever going to have two hands again."

Regina then spoke up again saying worryingly, "Besides, I can't actually remove the curse whether we could reattach it or not. And neither could he even if he were willing. I used my magic to try to get a sense of what kind of curse that two-faced villain cast over it. His magic was never meant to be removed, as Gold was expecting, hoping that this time he would kill Hook for good. However, I think that I can remove the curse from Hook himself."

"What are you trying to say?" the Savior asked again more curtly. "Can you save him or not?"

"I think so," the dark haired woman replied quickly, sensing the Savior's frustration and fear for the man she loved while trying not to take offence to her anger. "I can create another spell, by creating a fire to enact it. It'll act like a cleanser of sorts and burn away the curse, not only from his hand, but it can break the link binding it to him. However, for it to work… the only way to end this curse and to save him is to destroy his hand once and for all, by letting it burn to ash. I'm just not sure how Hook would feel about us destroying it, even if it is useless. Perhaps he thought it was dead and rotting in the ground somewhere after Gold stole it from him. But since learning that Gold kept it all this time, it's possible a part of him is relieved it still exists. At least it will no longer be in Gold's possession for him to be able to use it to taunt Hook with ever again."

Emma looked back down at the man she loved lying on death's door, then sat down in the chair closest to him as she picked up his good hand he still had and kissed it tenderly before finally responding quietly, "Fine. Do whatever you have to do. We just need to save him. I don't care what it takes to do it. I can worry about how to tell him about his hand later once he's alright."

Regina then looked between the others surrounding them with worry before turning back to Emma again as she added, "Unfortunately, there's one more thing I'm going to need from you if we're really going to make this work. This spell will require something that represents the true love the two of you share and since a kiss in this case can't help…"

"The ring Killian's brother gave to him before he gave it to Mom in Camelot?" Henry questioned upon realizing what his adopted mother was referring to when she looked down at the chain Emma always wore with the ring around her neck. "But the fire will destroy it too."

"I said whatever it takes," Emma answered without hesitation as she pulled the chain up over her head and then handed the precious ring over to the woman with the power to break the curse. "Please."

Inside Killian's mind…

Killian found himself awakening once more as he struggled to see through his blurred vision and the dangerous fever overpowering him badly enough to keep him from standing or even sitting up. After several minutes, he was finally able to see well enough to make out he was lying on the hard stone ground of a dungeon.

Outside of his prison cell, four guards stood several feet away from him while they talked amongst one another without trying to keep quiet in their conversation as none of them seemed to care he was awake. He was severely ill and yet they completely ignored his continuing deterioration.

In all of his travels, Killian didn't actually recognize the black uniforms that these men were wearing, trimmed with gold tassels and red, gold, and blue sashes. But from the looks of them, he could tell that these men were royal guards from a realm far away from the one where Storybrooke existed.

One of the guards nearest to him spoke up as he asked curtly, "What does the Queen want us to do with him?"

Another scoffed and then he replied, "I don't understand why she doesn't just have him executed. I say we just leave him here to rot. He's as good as dead already. What Queen Elsa doesn't know will never affect her, so long as she doesn't ever come down here to check in on the welfare of this pirate."

"I agree that this vile man is scum and deserves to die for trying to kill our Princess and her husband," the Captain of the guards responded cruelly. "But as the Queen's guards and as soldiers of Arendelle, it is our duty to inform Her Majesty of this prisoner's failing health. On her orders. But that doesn't mean we have to make him any more comfortable until she arrives."

Killian struggled again to sit up against the wall behind him. However, while his pain finally subsided enough for him to be able to do so, his mind had become hazy and when he was able to look down upon himself and saw that he still had two hands and was wearing clothes that weren't his own, the recollection trying to tell him he was still seeing Black Beard's memories through his own eyes failed to mean anything to him now as he felt himself dying. What was worse, was that as far as Killian knew, he and Black Beard were now one in the same.

In Storybrooke…

"Everything's ready, Emma," Regina said quietly as she looked over at the woman standing before her, while she, the Savior, David, August, Ariel, and now Belle were all standing around a small cauldron and her supplies which the former Evil Queen had brought into the hospital room from her vault so that they could finally proceed with saving Killian's life, while Dr. Whale once again stood in the background to keep an eye on his patient. "Are you?"

Emma was holding Killian's unattached hand tightly within her own until she glanced over at the man she loved a few feet away, then handed it over to Regina so she could end the curse once and for all. The dark haired woman kept her eyes down on the limb while she conjured her spell inside her mind. Once the flames ignited, she carefully placed the symbol of their love into his hand and formed it into a fist, then dropped them both into the cauldron as they all watched it begin to burn.

What was no more than seconds felt like eternity to Emma as she waited anxiously for the curse to be broken, until all of sudden a small wave of magic burst out from within the flames, then they imploded becoming completely extinguished. Everyone looked inside and found that Killian's hand had been destroyed like they expected it to be. However, they were surprised to see that his ring remained perfectly unharmed, partially sticking out from within the cinders left behind.

Regina smiled as she reached into the ashes to pull out the precious band, then she turned to the Savior while she stared down at it and stated, "Well, what do you know! True love survives again, just like both you and Hook. Now you can use your powers to heal him the rest of the way, Emma. Hopefully doing so will pull him out of whatever memory he's become trapped in. The curse is broken."

Emma took the ring back from her, then rushed over to Killian whose face was ashen and as lifeless as the rest of his body. If it weren't for the machines monitoring his vitals or the heat radiating off from him, she would have believed he was already gone. The Savior leaned in close so she could kiss his lips, then laid one of her hands over the right side of his face, her other hand gently over his chest above his heart while she closed her eyes, and began to emit all of her healing powers from within herself and into the man she loved with her whole heart.

While she continued to focus and pour all of her will for him to live into him, Emma spoke up softly saying, "Please… come back to me."

All of a sudden, Killian gasped while his eyes shot open causing Emma to cry out his name with relief as she gripped his hand tighter and began to rub his left arm and chest in order to reassure him he was alive and back with her while he struggled to regain his sense of surroundings.

"It's all right," the Savior continued urgently when he finally managed to calm down and slowly turned his head in her direction as their eyes locked on one another, while she then began to caress the left side of his face to try to help him focus. "I'm here. And you found your way back to me. The curse is finally broken, Killian. You're alive. Killian?"

"Em… Emma," he whispered weakly, as he struggled to keep his eyes open and his grip over her hand. "You… you're beau… beautiful."

She smiled as he did the best he could up at her, then she leaned down to kiss him again before he slowly lost consciousness out of complete exhaustion. Upon seeing that both his daughter and his friend were going to be alright again, David turned to August who was standing beside him and shook his hand, then did the same with Dr. Whale as well as both Ariel and Belle, all of whom were smiling wildly in celebration of their success.

And finally he turned to Regina as he said with sincerity, "Thank you, Regina. That was amazing."

She nodded and then answered, "I'm just relieved that it worked. It looks like everything's going to be all right again. You're welcome."

Down below the hospital…

"So, where are we headed?" Black Beard asked smugly as he was being led down into the basement a short time later by David and August upon Whale signing off on the villain's release once he well enough. "Wait, let me guess. To my new private dungeon, I presume?"

"It's like we told you already," David replied sternly when they finally arrived outside of the now empty cell that used to contain Mr. Hyde before he was killed. "We have an asylum down here where we keep all of the villains who have no remorse for the crimes they've committed, or for the pain they've caused all those they've hurt. But…"

He paused a moment as he opened the door to the cell and then continued, "Your enemy actually persuaded us to give you back a few of your things. I can't imagine why Hook of all people would want to give you anything after what you did to him. But then that shows you the kind of man he really is. He's a good man and he's our friend. You're going to pay for hurting him."

After David shoved the pirate inside, August then tossed him his red coat, his curly wig and old clothes, and finally his hat, but as the sheriff was about to close the door while they turned to leave, Black Beard quickly called out, "And what about my sword and my pistol?"

"Did you honestly think we would be returning your weapons to you?" August asked in disbelief while he and David scoffed at the villain's audacity to ask them for those things. "You won't be needing them ever again. Not in here."

"Well, you can't hardly blame a pirate for trying," he smugly responded while he finally placed his wig and hat on over his head after pulling on his coat, then reached up to the outer brim of his hat to pull out something small concealed within its sash, now within the palm of his hand as he turned to face them straight on. "It looks like I will just have to purchase them again when I finally return home at last."

David and August looked to one another in confusion, then back at the prisoner as David asked, "What do you mean, when you finally return home?"

The pirate Captain opened his hand to show them the magic bean he was holding and suddenly threw it against the floor while both David and August cried out for him to stop, being unable to reach him in time, then as a portal opened up before them, Black Beard shouted, "I'm sorry that I can't stay, but I have too many things to do!"

"If you had a magic bean on you all this time, why didn't you use it to escape our town sooner?" David asked again before the villain jumped.

"I think that I've made that pretty clear by now," he answered loudly over the sound of the portal as it remained open. "Because… I wanted to see Hook suffer before he died. But seeing as that will never happen so long as we're both here in your world, it's time I finally leave it. I was given the bean while I was trapped in that other land, the Land of Untold Stories, by some wizard who was perfectly happy living there in exchange for all the gold coins I had left in my possession. I was going to use it then to get home. Until I heard rumors of Hook having been captured there along with a few others until they found a way to escape and when Hyde put word out of traveling to this new land where he had escaped to, I couldn't resist. But back to now… I was never worried about being thrown into some brig so long as you returned my few possessions, which I knew you would because Hook's too soft. Tell Hook, I'll be seeing him again someday. I don't doubt that we'll meet up again in the Enchanted Forest somehow. He doesn't belong here anymore than I do. And when I see him, I will kill him. Ta-Ta, heroes!"

Finally Captain Black Beard jumped into the portal just in time before it closed on him while David and August could do nothing to stop the villain without the risk of falling into the portal themselves. The pirate was gone for good, with a threat against their friend being the last words he said.

Later that evening…

When David and August returned from the hospital after Black Beard's escape, then told Emma and Killian what had happened, the four of them, Henry, Regina, and Belle all walked down to the beach once again with Ariel to say goodbye to her so that she could return home to her husband, Prince Eric.

When they stood near where the tide had begun to roll in, Emma was the first to speak up as she stated, "I want to thank you, Ariel. For coming all the way here when you really didn't have to."

The little mermaid smiled and then stubbornly replied, "Actually, I did. You and Hook both made sure that Eric and I were alright even though you were in the middle of something awful. It means a lot to me to know we have friends like you who would take a few minutes out of all that, without real cause to do so just to make sure we were okay. Especially you, Hook."

"After what I did to you and Eric before…" he began to respond until Ariel stopped him from chastising himself as she leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him on his cheek.

"I know that you didn't do it because you are a monster like I said you were," she answered with sincerity as she reached out to embrace his arm with a friendly squeeze. "If we had more time together the last time I was here, I would have told you that. It's just that things were once again pretty hectic and you needed me to swim off right away to find Ursula's father."

She paused a moment before continuing, "You were a broken man then because you thought you lost your own true love. And at the time you had no idea you would ever see her again. I really should have seen it in your eyes, rather than trust the lies you told me to make me hate you. You really are a good man, Hook. And I'm gonna miss you. All of you. But we're not really all that far away, at least not with how fast I can swim here."

Emma smiled and then pulled their friend into a hug as she replied, "We're going to miss you too. Tell Prince Eric for us that we're sorry to interrupt your plans to go visit his people. Are you heading back to Hangman's Island to meet him first before you leave again?"

"Nope," the mermaid responded as she turned around to hug Regina, David, Henry, and August as well, not forgetting about Belle whom she wanted to take a few extra minutes with to say goodbye to her too. "I'm going to meet him there, at Maritime Castle."

"Swim safe," Henry answered as she and everyone else laughed, before the two women walked a few feet away as they talked in private.

Belle pulled her friend into a hug herself and then spoke up saying, "I'm really going to miss you, Ariel. If you can, try to come back for a visit soon. Both you and Eric. Only, not that I wish to take you away from your home too soon, especially since you may not be returning there for awhile. Just come back to visit when you can. I would love to catch up when we're hopefully not in the middle of some crisis."

Ariel smiled as she replied, "Of course I will come back. And Belle, I'm so sorry about the trouble between you and your Mr. Gold and having to give up your child, even if it is for his protection. He's a lucky boy to have a mother as wonderful as you. I'm sure that you'll see him again in no time. You guys will defeat whoever this great evil is. I believe that completely."

"So do I," the beauty responded gratefully as a tear slipped down her cheek until she quickly wiped it away when she pulled the other red haired woman in for another hug. "Thank you, Ariel. Take good care of yourself and your husband."

"Thank you, I will," she answered while she waved to everyone else before she finally turned around as she ran into the ocean before her until she was in up to her waist and pulled off the bracelet that allowed her to become human so her legs could become her tail once again, then swam off until she disappeared under the sea.

Killian and Emma were the last ones to leave the beach after everyone else left them so they could be alone once Ariel was gone. Neither of them really spoke as her pirate stared off into the horizon while Emma turned to him and held him in her arms, and he deeply embraced her as well. It was only then that she could still feel a slight tremor in his body and she looked up at him with worry in her eyes.

He noticed her worry for him and dropped his eyes to look at her as he said quietly, "I assure you, I'm alright, Love. Your magic healed me. I'm as good as new."

She smiled at him sadly and replied, "If that were true, then you wouldn't still be trembling and you've never allowed the cold ocean air bother you before, so that isn't what's wrong. You're no longer sick either because Dr. Whale assured me my powers healed you completely. Talk to me, Killian. What's bothering you? Is it the memories you were forced to see while under the curse?"

"Black Beard is a vile, cruel man who has done terrible things to innocent and good people," Killian responded with defeat when he finally released her and turned away to stare ahead of him once again. "I've already told you all he did to our friends from Arendelle, as well as Prince Eric, and Ariel too because of what I did to her. But I haven't told you what more I saw when I became trapped within his mind. These memories are going to be a little difficult to shake. I was a cruel villain as well, but I never once considered doing some of the foul deeds he has done."

"You can tell me now," the Savior answered in concern while she walked up behind him and then pulled him to sit down beside her on one of the rocks overlooking the waters. "It'll only help you to talk."

After he finally relented, Killian spent the better part of the next hour sharing most of what he was forced to see and feel while he and Black Beard were suffering from the Dark One's curse on him. He hated to burden the woman he loved with the knowledge of such villainy, but he knew she was right about how talking was the only chance he was ever going to be move past his own torment. All he failed to share with her was that he had seen a few of his own memories as well while his enemy was there to witness it. Having told her of his nightmares since his return from the Underworld… from the dead, Killian felt that telling her the rest was more than she needed to hear so as to not worry her even more about him than he knew she already was.

After the sun set over the horizon, the two in love slowly walked back into town hand in hand where they knew her father, son, and friends would be waiting for them so they could revel in Hook's recovery and the villains' defeat, even though Black Beard had gotten away. While the heroes were constantly at war against some villain, it only meant it was all the more important for them to enjoy the smaller victories whenever they could.

When they arrived just outside of the diner, Emma held Killian back for a few minutes while she asked him out of worry, "Killian, are you angry with me about making the decision to allow Regina to burn your hand?"

He looked at her with love in his eyes and really smiled for the first time since before all of this began, then he replied softly, "How can I be? You saved my life again, Emma. Just as you've done time and time again. I'll never be angry at you for reminding me that you truly love me. The Crocodile hurt me in a way he knew I would be vulnerable…"

"X marks the spot," she quickly stated, as he turned his head to look at her with confusion until she continued to explain what she meant.

"I see," he responded simply when she finished. "The thing we pirates do to mark where we've hidden our treasures. Perhaps what you believe about us pirates from those movies you've seen or the books you've read isn't all untrue. But in all honesty, I've never actually marked my hiding places with an X to remind myself where they were, whether I've buried my possessions or not. I've only ever marked the trees out in the woods surrounding our town and in Neverland in order to remember where I've walked in unfamiliar surroundings, or to help guide you back to me. My memory is solid. In fact, if you were to return to Neverland with me, I could show exactly where I've buried numerous amounts of treasure and even rum. And you would see there would be no Xs to be found."

Emma laughed and then she wrapped her arms around him again as she answered irresistibly, "I don't ever want to see Neverland again, but you still owe me a date where we go pillaging and plundering. I only told you that I don't do those things on the first date. We're well beyond that now."

She leaned in to kiss him tenderly before he could say anything and when he finally pulled back to reply, Killian became a little flustered by her seductiveness as he spoke again saying, "Aye… That we are. Your wish is my command, Emma. Anything you want. I'll always do whatever it takes to make you happy. I love you, more than you could ever know."

"And I love you," the Savior responded gently, then took his hand in her own and held it to her lips to kiss it before turning back to the diner. "Now, what do you say we go inside before my dad comes out to interrupt this beautiful moment?"

"After you, Swan," the man she loved answered as he motioned for her to walk ahead of him while he reached out to the door to hold it open for her.

The End


	27. Thank You

Thank you to all of those who have read and have written reviews for my story! They are much appreciated. I'm honored to have you all for fans and I hope to hear from you all again in the future, should you choose to read and enjoy more of my work. Best of wishes to you all!

Sincerely,

Genevieve Kelly


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